RAMSEY COUNTY: JOINT COURT HOUSE AND CITY HALL COMMITTEE:
An Inventory of Its Court House Construction Records at the Minnesota Historical Society
Government Records
OVERVIEW
| Creator: | Joint Court House and City Hall Committee (Saint Paul, Minn.). | |
| Title: | Court House Construction Records. | |
| Dates: | 1864-1993. | |
| Language: | Materials in English. | |
| Abstract: | Ledgers and journal (1884-1889) recording construction costs for the court house/city hall building and other expenses of the court house and city hall special commissioners; correspondence of David Day, superintendent of furniture and grounds (1888-1889), regarding various aspects of the finishing work on the building, such as furniture purchases, wiring, installation of the tower clock, and grading of the grounds; floor plan, elevation, and sectional drawings (circa 1884); correspondence and contracts regarding lighting, heating, and repairs (1897, 1930-1938); a file of the Ramsey County Court House and City Hall Special Commission (1864-1937), relating largely to courthouse land acquisition and construction; and reports and records documenting a 1985-1993 renovation project done by the Wold Association. | |
| Quantity: | 1.2 cubic feet (1 box, 2 partial boxes, 1 oversize folder). | |
| Location: | See Detailed Description for shelf locations. |
ADMINISTRATIVE INFORMATION
Availability:
The collection is open for research use.
Preferred Citation:
[Indicate the cited item and/or series here]. Joint Court House and City Hall Committee (Saint Paul, Minn.). Court House Construction Records. Minnesota Historical Society.
See the Chicago Manual of Style for additional examples.
Accession Information:
Accession numbers: 981-114; 985-4; 994-29; 2007-28
Processing Information:
Processed by: Rich Arpi, 1989 and October 2006
Catalog ID number: 990017109690104294
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
| 128.H.2.10F | Construction accounts ledgers, 1884-1889. 2 volumes. | ||||||||||
| 112.F.6.8F-1 | Building claims, December 1884-January 1888. 1 volume. | ||||||||||
| Journal of construction costs and other commission expenses, each entry noting date allowed, person or company in favor of, nature of claim, to what account charged, and amount. | |||||||||||
| David Day correspondence, 1888-1889. 1 volume and 4 folders: | |||||||||||
| Day's correspondence as "superintendent of furniture and grounds," regarding the logistics of purchasing and receiving furniture, wiring and other finishing work on the building, installation and correct operation of the tower clock, grading and other work on the grounds, and related matters. | |||||||||||
| 112.F.6.8F-2 | Letterpress book, 1889. 1 volume. | ||||||||||
| 128.H.2.10F | Letters received, 1888-1889. 4 folders. | ||||||||||
| Correspondence regarding Joint Committee and Electrical Committee, 1897. | |||||||||||
| Proposals for lighting and heating equipment and contracts, with related correspondence. | |||||||||||
| Correspondence: Upkeep, 1930-1956. 2 folders. | |||||||||||
| Correspondence regarding roof and floor repairs, lighting and heating contracts with Northern States Power Company, and a list of miscellaneous repair supplies. | |||||||||||
| Ramsey County Court House and City Hall Special Commission, 1864-1937. | |||||||||||
| The bulk of the folder contains reports and contracts concerning the construction of the county court house and city hall, 1885-1889. Included are the quit claim deed and indenture for the land from the previous owner, Adele Guerin; general instructions to contractors (2 booklets); synopses of bids; and various contracts and correspondence of architect Edward Bassford and contractor Mathias Breen. Also present is the Final Commissioners' Report on the construction (December 7, 1889); and a report of the Grounds and Buildings Committee (February 1925). | |||||||||||
| City Hall/Court House Renovation Project, 1985-1993. 11 folders: | |||||||||||
| In December 1988, Ramsey County and the City of St. Paul entered into a Joint Powers Agreement to renovate the city hall/court house. The Wold Association served as project architect. The building was reopened on December 3, 1993. | |||||||||||
| General information, undated. | |||||||||||
| Restoration, 1985-1986. | |||||||||||
| Re-opening, December 1993. | |||||||||||
| Final report, July 1996. | |||||||||||
| Reports of Predesign Phase, November 15, 1989. | |||||||||||
| 120.H.2.10F | The Wold Association, The Alliance, Carter Goble Associates. 4 folders: | ||||||||||
| Volume 1: Executive Summary. | |||||||||||
| Volume 2: Functional Analysis. | |||||||||||
| Volume 3: Building Inventory. | |||||||||||
| Volume 4: Supplement. | |||||||||||
| Report of Schematic Design Phase, Volume 2: Schematic Design, July 23, 1990. | |||||||||||
| Design Development Report, December 19, 1990. | |||||||||||
| A3/ov4, Drawer 9 | Drawings of Court House and City Hall, approximately 1884. 9 items in oversize folder: | ||||||||||
| Nine linen drawings by E. P. Bassford, architect of the Ramsey County Court House and St. Paul City Hall. Apparently used by Breen & Young, contractors for the basement excavation, walls, and iron beams. | |||||||||||
| 1. Basement Floor Plan. | |||||||||||
| 2. Plan of Iron Beams over Basement. | |||||||||||
| 3-1. Sections of Basement Walls. | |||||||||||
| 3-2. Construction of Iron Columns & Girders at Police Court, Basement. | |||||||||||
| 3-3. Entrance to Basement on Wabasha, Fourth & Cedar Streets. | |||||||||||
| 4-1. Wabasha Street Elevation. | |||||||||||
| 4-2. Rear Elevation of Basement. | |||||||||||
| 4-3. Fourth Street Elevation of Basement. | |||||||||||
| 5. Basement Floor Plan. | |||||||||||
CATALOG HEADINGS
This collection is indexed under the following headings in the catalog of the Minnesota Historical Society. Researchers desiring materials about related topics, persons or places should search the catalog using these headings.
- Topics:
- Architects -- Minnesota -- Ramsey County.
- Building sites -- Minnesota -- Saint Paul.
- City halls -- Minnesota -- Saint Paul.
- Courthouses -- Minnesota -- Ramsey County.
- Persons:
- Bassford, E. P. (Edward P.)
- Breen, Mathias.
- Day, David, 1825-1896.
- Organizations:
- City Hall and Ramsey County Courthouse (Saint Paul, Minn.).
- Ramsey County Court House and City Hall Special Commission (Minn.).
- Wold Association.
- Document Types:
- Architectural drawings (visual works).
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