Color postcard (13 1/2 x 8 1/2 cm) with a bird's-eye view of the Douglas County Courthouse, between 17th & 18th, Farnam and Harney Streets, Omaha, Nebraska. View shows structure built on a hill with steps leading up to the building, surrounded by green lawn.
The contract to build the second courthouse was to Detroit architect John F. Coots for a total of $204,787. The cornerstone was laid on October 25, 1882. The courthouse was formally received by the City on May 28, 1885. It was located on the crest of Farnam Hill, approximately 150 feet above the Missouri River. The courthouse grounds covered an area of 264 x 284 feet. The building itself was 112 x 130 feet wide and 140 feet high. The outer walls were of sandstone from Berea, Ohio, and the inner walls were brick. The dome was iron and sheet metal sanded and painted to resemble stone. It was crowned by a 10 foot Statue of Justice. The halls were tiled in marble and the staircases were elaborately worked iron. The courthouse was “fireproofed” throughout. It was replaced by the current Douglas County Courthouse which was built between 1909 and 1912. Source: Wakeley, Arthur. Omaha: The Gate City and Douglas County Nebraska, Chicago: S.J. Clarke Publishing Company, c.1917, pp. 131-33, Spence
