Jefferson County Courthouse at 150: Missing Pieces

BROOKVILLE, Pa. (EYT) – The Jefferson County Courthouse may be a symbol of justice, but to County Commissioners John Matson and Jeffrey Pisarcik, the courthouse is something to be celebrated.

Constructed 150 years ago, the courthouse dominates Main Street in Brookville, and Matson feels that the imposing structure is one of the many reasons people should come to his county.

“You need excuses for people to come here,” he said, “and the courthouse is a good reason to drive people here.”

The courthouse was dedicated in 1869, according to a pamphlet by Laura Lynn Yohe. It had many renovations over the years, including plumbing being installed in 1927 after residents called the bathrooms “barbarous.” Yohe said that protesters wanted the courthouse torn down and replaced. The 1927 renovations added to the courthouse and repaired the jails. The courthouse exterior has been almost the same since it was completed, though interior renovations have changed the building. Many of the 1927 features have been restored to look as they once did.

For Matson, the idea of the courthouse is more than a symbol. It is a piece history as well as a work of art.

“This is the nicest building in the county,” he said. “If it’s not, the courtroom is the nicest room in the county. It’s fabulous. The courtroom reminds us of the past and what our community was.”

Matson pointed out that Brookville was well-to-do when the courthouse was constructed. It had six hotels to keep up with the courthouse business. The court has also set some precedents for the country.

“More people have been hanged in Jefferson County after 1900 than before,” he said. “We had a twice-hanged man. They hanged him once, and it didn’t work, so they tried it again, and succeeded. After that, the country decided you can’t kill someone twice.”

However, what history Matson has found also comes with some holes.

“We need to fill in the missing pieces,” he said. “The records are all spread out over different agencies.”

Yohe’s pamphlet is where Matson gets much of his information. However, the seven-page folded information packet only covers a small chunk of the history of the courthouse. In fact, the courthouse did not have many copies of Yohe’s work left.

Pisarcik said that the community could help fill in some of the historical gaps.

“We have great historians in this area,” Pisarcik said. “Talking to some historians in Punxsutawney, I learned that our first judge was from there. Jenks Street is named after him.”

Pisarcik and Matson look forward to getting more information about the courthouse as they approach the 150th. Pisarcik said that the courthouse belongs to everyone in the county.

“People call it the Brownsville Courthouse,” Pisarcik said. “That’s wrong. We all own it. It’s Jefferson County’s. It’s irreplaceable. All the money spent to restore it is well worth it. People should come to the courthouse to see it, to see the positives.”

The courthouse has reminders that it belongs to the community, however. Matson said that the bell tower has graffiti dating back to the 1870s.

However, some of the history of the courthouse can only be told by those who worked there. That is why Matson is inviting anyone who worked there or had an experience there to tell their stories on the Facebook page.

In the meantime, Matson will still gather as much information as he can to be prepared for the 150th.

“People take a lot of pride in where they’re from,” Matson said. “The courthouse itself is something to be proud of.”

This is the second article in a multi-part series celebrating the Jefferson County Courthouse’s 150th anniversary. Check back later for additional articles.


Copyright © 2024 EYT Media Group, Inc. All rights reserved. Any copying, redistribution or retransmission of the contents of this service without the express written consent of EYT Media Group, Inc. is expressly prohibited.

Comments are temporarily closed. A new and improved comments section will be added soon.