The north (E. Main Street) entrance of the Macoupin County Courthouse. The courthouse was constructed between 1867 and 1870. The building is noteworthy not only for its size and beauty, but also for its cost.
Macoupin County was authorized by the state legislature in 1867 to issue bonds totaling $50,000 for a new courthouse. By the time work was completed in 1870, the total cost had grown to over $1.3 million, making this the most scandalous incident of over-spending in the state's history up to that point. Thus evolved the building's nickname as the "Million Dollar Courthouse."
The beaux arts structure, designed by architect E.F. Myers, is a centerpiece of the Carlinville Historic District added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1976.
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