Greene County Courthouse, Catskill, N.Y.
The Greene County Courthouse is a beautiful building in the village of Catskill. The building was designed by architect William J. Beardsley (1872-1934) of Poughkeepsie and constructed by the Peter Keeler Company. The building was constructed in 1909 at a cost of $180,000. Neo-classical in architectural style, the building is described as “an imposing Neo-classical Ohio sandstone building with a monumental portico highlighted by bas-relief carved figures in the pediment. The building is topped by a balustrade and has a well-scaled dome.” (1) The Greene County Courthouse is included on the National Register of Historic Places as part of the East Side Historic District (of Catskill). The county, and thus the courthouse, is named for Nathanael Greene (1742-1786), a Major General for the Continental Army during the American Revolution.
According to the History of Greene County written in 1915 by Frank Gallt, at the time of its construction the Greene County Courthouse “is without a doubt the finest county building in the state. It is built of Ohio sand stone and fireproof. The interior is finished with tirazza and inlaid floors, marble wainscoting, and hard natural woods. The Supreme court chambers, court room, supervisors’ rooms and County Judge’s chambers are furnished with antique oak furnishings, and the carpets in keeping with the other fittings. The county treasurer, sheriff and election commissioners have excellent chambers. The vaults for records are fireproof and very spacious.
The building is located at the corner of Main and Bridge streets, and the surroundings are first class. On the lawn is a grand fountain, the gift to the county of the late Senator William P. Fiero, of Catskill, costing a large sum of money. The county jail costing about $10,000 is located in the rear of the court house, and the Carnegie library costing $30,000 is across the street, as also are the Presbyterian church and the Masonic Temple. Grand buildings that replaced unsightly structures. (2)
The postcard was published by Smith’s 5 & 10c Store located in Catskill, New York. The postmark shows that it was mailed in 1912.
Sources:
(1) Ross, Claire L. National Register of Historic Placed nomination form for the East Side Historic District. Page 8.
(2) Gallt, Frank A. Dear Old Greene County. Catskill, NY, 1915. Pages 63-65.
