2010 is the 50th Anniversary of Harper Lee's book To Kill A Mockingbird. The Monroe County Courthouse is the central building of the story and the movie. Harper Lee’s father, Amasa Coleman Lee, was a lawyer that practiced in the Monroe County Courthouse.
About this creation
Here are some photos of a commissioned piece that I just completed. I worked about 50-60 hours designing and building over the course of 7 weeks.
The dome is removal as well as the rotundra and roof.
Here's the mockingbird :)
The back corner is open so you can view the interior:
Courthouse History (from the Monroe County Heritage Museum):
Probate Judge Nicholas J. Stallworth had a vision for Monroeville. In 1903, he set out to build a grand courthouse to serve as the centerpiece for what he called the future, "hub of Southwest Alabama." Construction went over budget, causing many to call the massive project, "Stallworth's Folly." Despite glowing reviews for the new courthouse in the Monroe Journal, the building adversely affected the judge's popularity and cost him re-election.
Andrew Bryan, a prominent southern municipal architect from New Orleans, designed the Monroe County Courthouse. The three-story domed structure combines neo-classical style with eclectic design. Four other courthouses designed by Bryan still stand in Georgia, Mississippi and Louisiana. Bryan designed many courthouses in the South. His Troup County Courthouse in LaGrange, GA was larger but very similar to the Monroe County one. It was however, destroyed by fire in 1936. He also did a very similar design for the Harrison County Courthouse in Gulfport, Mississippi. In a 1903 letter to Judge Stallworth, Bryan said, "The plans as they are now finished, I think, make the nicest and most beautiful Court House that was ever built in the State of Alabama, and I am sure you will be highly pleased with it."
M.T. Lewman, a Louisville, Kentucky, contractor build the courthouse for $20,000.
Timeline:
In 1918 William Jennings Bryan spoke in the courtroom.
1928- Antebellum courthouse burns, leaving the 1903 courthouse alone on the square.
1930- U.S. Senator Hugo Black (later US Supreme Court Justice) speaks in the courtroom. Also, U.S. Congressman John McDuffie, U.S. Senators, Tom Heflin, and John Bankhead both visited.
1934- George Washington Carver speaks in the courtroom on his experiments with peanuts.
1936- U.S. Congressman Frank Boykin opens his bid for re-election in the courtroom. Also, well-known evangelist, Howard S. Williams, preaches to an interdenominational audience in the courtroom.
1941-Probate Judge E.T. Millsap takes office and basement women's public restroom is converted to a records vault.
1946- "Big Jim" Folsom and his "Strawberry Pickers" band campaign for governor in the courtroom.
1952- Records room and basement added on north side. North porch enclosed and restrooms added at each end.
1962- Gregory Peck, along with director Robert Mulligan and set designer Henry Bumstead, visits the courthouse in preparation for the film version of To Kill a Mockingbird.
1963- County offices (except Judge Millsap's) moved to new courthouse.
1968- Grand opening of Monroe County Heritage Museum in the courtroom with display on county history by Monroe County historical society.
1973-Listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
1987- Blue Ribbon Committee for the Restoration of the Old Courthouse begins meeting to raise money.
1991- Monroe County Heritage Museum opens and the first production of To Kill a Mockingbird is presented in the courtroom. Restoration continues on the old building.
2002- Renovations completed at the cost of more than $1.5 million.
Comments
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October 22, 2011 |
Beautiful job on this! Perfection! |
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A Dying Breed (Formerly Chris Blizard) March 16, 2011 |
I love it! To Kill A Mockingbird is one of my favorite books, in fact I have read it twice already! |
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March 15, 2011 |
Well done with the roof. Excellent effect with the book as well. |
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September 15, 2010 |
A great history lesson in Legos. Keep up the good work! |
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September 15, 2010 |
Sorry I missed this when it first came out! The details and design are amazing! |
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September 8, 2010 |
Very nice and very detailed. This piece is just great. |
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I made it |
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August 3, 2010 |
Quoting katie rochester
It's mine now!! Woo hoo! I won it and so happy. It's fabulous.
Katie, can you contact me? Do you have it on display at a public place? |
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August 3, 2010 |
Quoting Tom Simon
Impeccably sculpted. Is it now in public view somewhere?
I do not believe it is on public display. It was on display at a museum in Birmingham for a month and then it was auctioned off for a state wide charity. I haven't been in touch with the new owner yet. |
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August 3, 2010 |
Impeccably sculpted. Is it now in public view somewhere?
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July 13, 2010 |
Simply amazing! |
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It's mine now!! Woo hoo! I won it and so happy. It's fabulous. |
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April 21, 2010 |
Rated excellent! My favorite southern town; because I love "To Kill a Mocking Bird". I also love Truman Capote's writing about life in Monroeville. Great work and patience on your part. I've copied the pictures and will show them to the quilters at the Library, one of the members is Barbara McEntergart, former Librarian at Concord School. |
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March 5, 2010 |
To Kill A Mockingbird, is my all time favorite book, the fact there is a M.O.C. about it warms my heart. But the depiction from the movie really rounds my thoughts about the M.O.C. Excellent work! |
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January 29, 2010 |
Quoting Mark Kelso
Wow, very well done! I particularly like the way you handled the angled main steps and balcony above.
I recently built the Cafe' Corner and the Green Grocer, so several building techniques were picked up from those two sets. I'm working on the Fire Brigade now.
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January 29, 2010 |
Quoting Allan Hall
exellent work, I like the way you'v used the down spouts to support the balcony. a great looking building.
Actually the downspots are fully supported by the balcony (see 1x1 clips on each side) and they were added last. The balcony is only attached to the wall behind it. |
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This is a good courthouse. I've seen the film before, its a good movie. The minfigs you made looked great. Can you check out this please http://mocpages.com/moc.php/179430. Please comment and tell me what you think. |
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January 28, 2010 |
Hi Wesley, An excellent builing! And a challenge to build with all these corners and angles. I like the inside view at the back. |
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January 28, 2010 |
exellent work, I like the way you'v used the down spouts to support the balcony. a great looking building. |
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January 27, 2010 |
EPIC! Just about to study the book, and this is just how I imagened the court house. Great work! |
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January 27, 2010 |
I'm just speechless. |
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January 27, 2010 |
That's excellent! |
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January 27, 2010 |
Wesley, this is an amazing MOC. You have captured this classic building style so well. The details are great, and the thing looks like you built it to be bullet-proof. Regards, Eric. |
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I like it |
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January 26, 2010 |
Wow, very well done! I particularly like the way you handled the angled main steps and balcony above. |
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