The Three Ingham County Court Houses: 1843, 1858, and 1905

Once you enter downtown Mason, the one thing that towers over everything else and captures your attention is the Ingham County Court House.

Mason was founded in 1838 by Charles Noble from Monroe. After building a sawmill, he platted the first section of the village. That platting included what is now known as the courthouse square.

A direct road to connect with Lansing was laid in 1839, and the first court house was built in 1843 at 140 E. Ash Street, across from where the current court house sits.

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In 1847, there was a minor dispute over where Michigan’s State Capital would be – Mason was nominated and argued, but Lansing won. As a concession, Mason was named the Ingham County Seat. To this day, Mason is the only city in the country that serves as county seat ahead of a state capital.

A second court house was needed to replace the original, and in 1858 a new one was constructed on the current site, and in turn, it was replaced in 1905.

After completion, the new court house was called “a meeting place for farmers, mechanics, business and professional men" and in 1971 the building found it’s home on the National Register of Historic Places.

The court house stands majestic in the square and remains a focal point for visitors, enhancing the already-impressive downtown businesses.

Scroll down to see some great old images of the court house from many years ago (with a huge thank you to the Mason Area Historical Society at masonmuseum.org)!