Howard County Courthouse (Maryland)

The Howard County Courthouse is a historic building in Ellicott City, Maryland that was the courthouse for Howard County's Circuit Court from 1843 to 2021.

Howard County Courthouse
Front of the courthouse in 2020
General information
Architectural styleClassical Revival
LocationCourt Avenue
Town or cityEllicott City, Maryland
CountryUnited States of America
Coordinates39.2689°N 76.7976°W / 39.2689; -76.7976
Construction started1840
Completed1843
Cost$24,000 (1840)
ClientHoward County, Maryland
Design and construction
Architect(s)Samuel Harris
EngineerCharles Timanus [1]

Construction of the granite building, designed by Charles Timanus, cost $24,000 and took three years (1840–1843). It is situated on a steep hill once named Capitoline Hill on property purchased from Deborah Disney.[2] It also went by the nickname "Mt. Misery".[3] In 1972, local historian Charles Stein claimed that the heavy granite block construction "should continue in service for centuries".

A stone house on Main Street that was used as a temporary courthouse during construction of the permanent courthouse survived until being swept away in the 2018 Ellicott City Flood after a culvert collapsed.

In July 2021, the Circuit Court moved to a new building in Columbia, Maryland.[4] Howard County has held public meetings and solicited concepts for reuse of the now-vacant historic courthouse and its surrounding property, but has not formally approved any definite plans.[5]

Howard County Circuit Courthouse and administration building
The courthouse in August 1936

By 1870, the Circuit court volume was 91 cases with 14 appeals a month.[6] In 1938 additions were added to the courthouse. On 23 September 1948 a monument to confederate soldiers serving from Howard County was erected at the courthouse and rededicated in September 1999.[7] In the 1960s, proponents attempted to consolidate county government on land purchased recently by The Rouse Company in its development of the city of Columbia, but did not go forward. In 1962 more additions were added to the original courthouse. In 1980 County Executive J. Hugh Nichols approved a renovation that included a 14,500 sq ft addition that connected to the Howard County Circuit Courthouse.[8]

The Howard County Circuit Courthouse is located at 8360 Court Avenue in Ellicott City, Maryland. The courthouse houses the chambers and courtrooms for the 5 judges of the Circuit Court for Howard County, as well as the clerk's offices, jurors' assembly room, the law library and masters' offices. It has a connection to the original 1840 Howard County Courthouse, now used by the Orphan's court. A porch section is constructed from the foundation of an adjacent historic house.

The Howard County Government used the building as its headquarters of administration until the completion of the George Howard Building in 1976.

Building consolidation
The 1980s addition incorporating the current main entrance

The building was upgraded and expanded in the $11.3 million 1982-1986 with an addition that extended the structure to six separate levels and moved the Circuit Court entrance to the rear of the property. The law library is part of the historic Hayden house which was incorporated into the addition. The law library is on two levels. The bottom level houses the general collection and 2 computers for online use and Westlaw research. Above this level is the Maryland Room, with the Maryland collection which includes all Maryland reports and the Annotated Code of Maryland.[9] Citing respiratory issues, in 2002, Clerk of the Circuit Court Margaret D. Rappaport had the building inspected for mold contaminants.[10][11]

In 2012, The Circuit Court was proposed to be relocated to the County owned Ascend One building while $8.58 million in renovations, but was struck down by Judge Leonore Gelfman for lack of security. The rooms reconfigured for prisoners were transferred for use by Howard County Health department patients.[12]

The courthouse featured a small concession for food service operated by various contract holders including bailbondsman Howard F Ducan, Nixon's Farm and Kiss Catering.[13]

In 2004 Executive James N. Robey was approached by a developer then proposed selling off the Gateway Building and Bendix Building to fund a $100 million private facility that the Government would lease back on a 25-acre county owned parcel which is now the current Park View and Ellicott Crossing housing subdivisions.[14] In 2015 Executive Kittleman proposed a $300,000 survey to compare costs of upgrades compared to new construction of a courthouse.[15]

See also

References
  1. James A Clark Jr. Jim Clark Soldier Farmer Legislator. p. 21.
  2. Howard County Historical Society. Images of America, Howard County. p. 20.
  3. Janet Kusterer, Victoria Goeller. Ellicott City. p. 43.
  4. Stein, Charles Francis (1972). Origin and History of Howard County Maryland (First ed.). Charles Francis Stein, Jr. p. 247.
  5. "Ellicott City Courthouse". Howard County, Maryland.
  6. "Circuit Court". The Ellicott City Times. 2 September 1870. p. 1.
  7. "Tribute to rebel soldiers; Old marker: Rededication near Howard County courthouse could be used to urge racial harmony". The Baltimore Sun. 21 September 1998.
  8. Clark, Michael J (20 September 1979). "Howard county executive backs courthouse renovation and expansion". The Baltimore Sun.
  9. "Law Library". Circuit Court for Howard County. Retrieved 2008-05-15.
  10. Goldberg, Lisa (10 September 2002). "Facing a court challenge ; Building: Howard County's aged courthouse is historic or an architectural sore point, depending on one's point of view". The Baltimore Sun.
  11. Lisa Goldberg (1 August 2002). "Five `serious hazards' reported at courthouse MOSH says 3 are fixed 2 face Aug. 21 deadline Howard County". TheBaltimore Sun.
  12. Siegel, Andrea F (28 February 2012). "Plans scuttled for Howard courthouse temporary move". The Baltimore Sun.
  13. Lisa Goldberg (27 April 2004). "Food vendor courts Repast Rich Waxler's Blue Rooster Cafe is filling a need - and stomachs - at Howard County's old circuit courthouse". The Baltimore Sun.
  14. Larry Carson and Laura Cadiz (8 December 2004). "Robey revives plan for complex Private firms would finance, design new government center Proposal would include new courthouse Executive considers strategy as way to cut impact on debt". The Baltimore Sun.
  15. Amanda Yeager (5 April 2015). "Kittleman looks to rein in bond debt: County executive's capital budget reduces borrowing, focuses on education, safety". The Baltimore Sun.
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