Metamora Courthouse State Historic Site
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Metamora Courthouse
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Metamora Courthouse in winter
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| Coordinates | 40°47′30.4″N 89°21′44.68″W / 40.791778°N 89.3624111°WCoordinates: 40°47′30.4″N 89°21′44.68″W / 40.791778°N 89.3624111°W |
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| Built | 1845 |
| Architect | Irving,David |
| Architectural style | Greek Revival |
| NRHP Reference # | 78001203 |
| Added to NRHP | March 30, 1978 |
The Metamora Courthouse State Historic Site is a historic American courthouse located in Metamora, Illinois, the former county seat of Woodford County. The courthouse was built in 1845 as the governmental center for Woodford County and as a circuit court for the former Illinois Eighth Circuit. The courthouse is best known for being one of only two surviving Illinois circuit courthouses where future U.S. President Abraham Lincoln practiced law.
Surviving records from Eighth Circuit courthouses such as Metamora show that Lincoln and his colleagues practiced general, unspecialized law. They served as criminal defense counsel, handled divorce and family-law cases, oversaw the passage of estates through probate, and were available to handle a wide variety of civil suits and disputes. Lincoln handled more than 70 cases here, including two murders and two cases of fugitives from slavery.
Lincoln's law firm, Lincoln & Herndon, in which he practiced with his partner William Herndon, consisted of only two lawyers. It was based in Springfield, Illinois, and Lincoln was the circuit partner, traveling from county seat to county seat throughout the Eighth Circuit when the circuit court was in session. Researchers have found more than 70 Woodfood County circuit court cases handled by Mr. Lincoln from 1845 through 1858.
In these travels, Lincoln made friends all over central Illinois. These ties served him well in 1858 when he ran for the U.S. Senate against incumbent Stephen A. Douglas. Although Lincoln lost this race, his oratory led to his gaining national attention and the nomination in 1860 as the candidate for president of the U.S. Republican Party.
Lincoln's speechmaking skills served him well as candidate and as president. These skills were honed as a trial lawyer in circuit courtrooms like this one.
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