KENOSHA, Wis. — Chiseled in stone above the entrance to the Kenosha County Courthouse are the words: “Erected by the people of Kenosha County to the cause of just and capable government.”

One hundred years after its 1925 dedication, those ideals — and the building itself — still stand tall. On Sunday, community leaders, courthouse employees past and present, and the public will gather downtown to celebrate the courthouse’s centennial.

“Our Courthouse is truly a magnificent structure, one that’s the testament to the strength of our community and the ideals of justice and good government,” County Executive Samantha Kerkman said. “Its centennial is a milestone worth celebrating, and I encourage the whole community to join us.”

Day of events

The celebration begins at noon with an ice cream social in Civic Center Park, followed by a speaking program at 12:30. From 1 to 3:30, visitors can tour the building during an open house, while current and former employees are invited to gather for a group photo on the front steps at 1:30.

Musical performances will bookend the day, with the University of Wisconsin Marching Band performing at noon and the Kenosha Pops Concert Band taking the stage at 4 p.m. Admission is free. Frozen custard will be provided by Culver’s, courtesy of Jockey International.

Centennial souvenirs — a commemorative ornament and reprints of the original 1925 dedication book — will be on sale inside the courthouse.

A “Palace of Justice”

When it opened, the courthouse was hailed as the “finest courthouse in the West.” Designed by architect Joseph Lindl in a neoclassical style, the limestone building features 22 colossal columns overlooking 56th Street and two-story courtrooms filled with natural light and murals by artist Charles Holloway.

Over the decades, renovations and expansions changed parts of the building. In the 1960s, one grand courtroom was split into two, and much of the original detail was lost. The second grand courtroom, now the Ceremonial Courtroom, was preserved but covered by a drop ceiling. A restoration project, funded with more than $2 million in private donations and a $675,000 Jeffris Family Foundation matching grant, is now underway to bring that room back to its original splendor.

Former County Executive Jim Kreuser, who helped lead the preservation effort during his tenure, called the courthouse “an irreplaceable jewel in our community,” adding, “It would be impossible, fiscally, to build such a grand structure today.”

A family legacy

Some 30 members of the Lindl family — descendants of architect Joseph Lindl — are expected to attend Sunday’s centennial. Lindl, who designed many of Kenosha’s landmark buildings, was known as “the dean of Kenosha architects.” His grandchildren and great-grandchildren say the courthouse remains a source of pride for the family and a symbol of his legacy.

Looking back and ahead

Former County Executive John Collins recalled leading cleaning and rehabilitation efforts in the late 1970s and pushing for the courthouse’s placement on the National Register of Historic Places in 1982.

“This great structure has seen many joys and tears over the past 100 years,” Collins said. “It has seen weddings, adoptions, naturalizations, and criminal sentencings. This is Kenosha’s ‘Palace of Justice’ — where citizens of every race, gender and social status go to right wrongs, to settle disputes, and to be heard.”