Niobrara County Courthouse Centennial Celebration
Floor Speech
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Mr. BARRASSO. Mr. President, I rise today in recognition of the centennial celebration for the Niobrara County Courthouse in Lusk, WY.
Niobrara County residents are blessed to live in this special place. Located on the plains and rolling hills of eastern Wyoming, the county is a gateway to the Black Hills and Central Wyoming. Its 2,400 residents center around the communities of Lusk, Manville, and Van Tassell. The county was created from eastern Converse County in 1911, and Lusk was chosen as the county seat when Niobrara County was organized in 1913. The name of the county comes from the Niobrara River, which begins its journey east of Lusk.
Niobrara County's story is a collection of the determined and persevering people that have called this place home for the past century. Its establishment was given a physical monument when the courthouse was built in 1920. The land on which the courthouse sits was originally donated by early rancher Frank Lusk, as a site to build the new town which bears his name. County business was first conducted in the Odd Fellows Hall, followed by the Harmony Lodge. A fire in 1919 destroyed the lodge, but not the records kept in a steel vault. Operations were moved to the basement of the First National Bank of Lusk until a new courthouse was completed. A white schoolhouse was built at the corner of 5th and Elm, believed to be the first in Lusk. When the courthouse was planned for this location, the schoolhouse was split up and moved to another block.
The economy of the new county experienced an unexpected boom when oil was discovered in what became the Lance Creek Field. The increase in taxable goods prompted the county commissioners to propose a bond election to fund the construction of a courthouse. On election day, November, 6, 1918, voters approved a $60,000 bond issue by only 29 votes. The commissioners chose architect George E. McDonald, designer of courthouses in Kansas, Missouri, and Nebraska, to design the new building. The contracting bid was awarded to D.W. Woods. The building came in $22,000 over budget, and the commissioners again proposed a bond election for another $40,000. The vote passed by 30 votes this time.
The building was finished in the winter and occupied in February 1920. It was the only courthouse in Wyoming with a bronze statue of Justice placed on top of the courthouse dome. However, the statue only stayed there for 10 years. Strong Wyoming winds caused the statue to constantly vibrate and shift, which damaged the roof. In 1930, commissioners voted to remove the statue and replace the roof. The statue laid on the ground behind the courthouse, until 1 day it disappeared, only to be placed a few days later on a hill overlooking the town. It remained there as a Lusk landmark until it vanished from that location as well. Stories say that some delinquents moved it to the bottom of an abandoned mine shaft. Rumors abounded in Lusk over the following years as to the purpose of the statue's relocation. During World War II, the statue resurfaced and was donated to a scrap metal campaign for the war effort.
The courthouse was described as, ``Built of dark red brick with white columned porticoes on the south and east entrances, and, of course, with the white dome capped by the bronze statue, the courthouse was the pride of the county's citizens.'' The Niobrara County Commissioners inscribed on the cornerstone of the building were Fred S. Runser, M.J. McCormick, and C.F. Calhoun, with E.M. Phillips as the county clerk. One of the most prominent features of the building is the motto above the door, ``A Public Office Is A Public Trust.'' This defining feature, which remains there today, is an inspiring reminder to all those who work in the county and in Wyoming. The current county commissioners tasked with upholding this ideal are Patrick H. Wade, John Midkiff, and Elaine B. Griffith, with Becky Freeman as county clerk.
On Friday, October 15, 2021, the Niobrara County Commissioners are hosting a celebration for the courthouse's centennial. A dedication ceremony will take place at this event as one was not preformed upon its original construction. The Niobrara County Historical Society purchased a sign commemorating the courthouse and providing historic information. It will be a wonderful celebration of Lusk and the Niobrara County community.
Niobrara County has a storied and colorful past. Its people stand as an example of strong character and neighborliness and its courthouse a symbol of their ideals. Bobbi joins me in celebrating the centennial of the Niobrara County Courthouse and the citizens who make this county special.
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