see the side view of the old courthouse.
Walk around front and enter the 1st Manatee County courthouse, built in 1860 by Eziekel Glazier.
The year is 1860, no need for a fire in the stove, it is a hot summer day, the flies are buzzing, the mosquitoes are waiting on you and the judge will step out through the door and behind his desk any moment now.
The two tables wait for the lawyers or maybe not. you may be on your own...with only 2 people per sq mile in all of South Florida, there are not many lawyers. Or judges for that matter.
Pick a bench and get ready for the show and HOPE that you
will not be sitting in the chair below, reserved for the Guilty...
Back then justice was quick and you were guilty until proven innocent.
But they did provide a spittoon for you
It might be the last thing you do because you might be strung up in that tree if
it is The Hanging Judge
24 comments:
A lot of thought must have gone into its design, very nicely made.
Hi Sandra, wow, those are tranquil surrounds for "judgement day". it all looks so clean and cool. Thanks for sharing this part of your history with us. Have a great day. Jo
Lovely photos of the old school house Sandra. In the first one I also love the tree with the Spanish moss hanging down.
Proof that need for law and order is not new. ;)
Love the richness of all that wood...and love those trees in that first photo.
Good morning, Sandra! What a cute courthouse. I like the inside, the benches and all the wood are cool. Happy Tuesday, enjoy your week ahead!
Love the Spanish moss and lol lol lol at the spittoon beside the guilty chair.
Hugs Cecilia
Thanks for the history lesson and photos, Sandra. I wondered if this building was ever also used for a schoolhouse as I have seen some similar buildings in historical places we've visited.
Yikes! thankful to be living now! Beautiful building, though. So glad you're providing me with a spittoon. :-)
So was this built specifically as a courthouse? Makes me think of Little House on the Praire where (if memory serves me right) one building served as school on weekdays and church on Sundays...
Love the location under the trees as well as the interior.
Mersad
Mersad Donko Photography
Right up my alley!
Sandra I like the History you share and the tree is lovely.
Your pictures are beautifully taken as usual.
very interesting! what is the pot/vase on the floor by the chair for??
Laughter is the best medicine!!
i think you might have been lucky to make it to court at all back in those days.
Oh my....what gorgeous wood!!!
I am thinking that there were more quick verdicts rendered on a hot summer day!
The building is quite good looking,but the rules sound extra harsh.
Don';t you love places like this? Sandra, I think I gave my old spittoon away when we left VA...:)JP
Love your story to go with the photos.
I sure think it would have been difficult to live back in those times.
Back then wasn't there just one judge for several towns that he traveled to? Things sure have changed
Oh my goodness. How tragic. Is that Spanish moss hanging from the tree?
It was like going back in time with this post! I felt THERE!!! I would so love to time travel!!!
Amazing place and the trees with that hanging moss are fabulous.
It is lovely. I love that they are taking such great care of it!
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