Ionia County Courthouse

Completed in 1885, the Ionia County Courthouse is the largest structure ever built of Ionia sandstone. The three-and-a-half-story Classical Revival courthouse replaced an 1840s hall of justice that had become inadequate for the county’s needs. David W. Gibbs (1836-1917), of Toledo, Ohio, designed the 120 by 80 foot building. Financed by a special tax levy approved in 1883, the courthouse cost $42,380. The first county offices moved into the new building in January 1886, court was first held there in late February, and formal dedication services took place on July 3, 1886. Its interior features black and white marble floors, oak wainscoting, fourteen marble fireplaces, and a massive walnut and butternut staircase.

Ionia, Michigan · United States