The Douglas County Courthouse in Lawrence is a 1903 Richardsonian Romanesque landmark designed by John G. Haskell and Frederick C. Gunn, a pair of architects that the county commissioners asked to collaborate after a design competition left them unable to choose just one. The rough-faced limestone, the arched entries, and the tall square clock tower give the building a heavy, almost fortress-like presence on Massachusetts Street, and it still feels like the kind of place where county business has real weight.
Douglas County was founded in 1855 and named for Senator Stephen A. Douglas of Illinois, the same figure tied to the Kansas-Nebraska Act and the popular sovereignty debates that shaped early Kansas politics. Lawrence has always been the county seat, and the city was named for Amos A. Lawrence, the Massachusetts abolitionist who helped fund the New England Emigrant Aid Company's settlement efforts.
Stepping inside, you can feel the weight of history here. It's a handsome building, solidly built and worth a stop if you're already wandering downtown Lawrence.
[Review 805 of 2026 - 140 in Kansas - 25985 overall] read more