This building is Hamilton County's third courthouse. The first was built in Orville City, the original county seat, in 1870. After five elections, Aurora was chosen as county seat in 1876. To assure the victory, the town constructed the second courthouse here in Central Park Square in 1877. It was destroyed by fire in January 1894.
In March 1894 the county board hired architect William Gray of Lincoln, who had designed several Nebraska courthouses, to provide plans for a new building. Voters approved $60,000 in bonds for its construction and furnishing. The courthouse was completed in 1895.
The Hamilton County Courthouse is built in the county Capitol Style, emulating the shape of the U.S. Capitol. Here a tall spire is used instead of a central dome, and red brick with Colorado sandstone instead of marble. The architectural detailing follows american Round Arch designs made popular by Boston architect H.H. Richardson. The stability of county government is suggested by the building's impressive exterior and by the ornate white oak woodwork inside. The courthouse is listed in The National Register of Historic Places.
]]>During the 1930's, Nebraska suffered one of the most serious droughts in its recorded history. In all parts of Nebraska rainfall was far below normal. In 1936, corn yielded only 1/10 as much per acre as it had during the years 1923-1932. The dry powdered soil began to blow, and as dust storms obscured the sun, parts of Nebraska and the Great Plains became "the Dust Bowl." Between 1930 and 1940, the state declined in population because of the unfavorable agricultural conditions.
This experience resulted in the increased use of deep-well irrigation. Nebraska is fortunate in having the largest supply of groundwater in the central part of the United States. Hamilton County lies somewhat east of the center of the irrigation well area in Nebraska. A 225 foot deep well, sunk in the county by F. E. Edgerton in 1931, remains one of the deepest in the area. It is not uncommon for irrigated land to produce more than twice the crop raised on non-irrigated land. Irrigation is an important factor in the occupation of Nebraska by an agricultural population.
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