NEWS
Rehabilitation Caps Long Journey to Save Courthouse
Determined efforts by Indiana Landmarks and community advocates save the once-endangered Pulaski County Courthouse.
Courting Success
It’s hard to look at the stately Romanesque Revival-style Pulaski County Courthouse in Winamac and imagine a parking lot in its place. But in 2018, as county commissioners suggested moving all county and court functions offsite and demolishing the historic courthouse, it was a real possibility.
Thanks to determined efforts by Indiana Landmarks and community advocates, preservation prevailed. In September—almost 130 years to the day from the building’s first dedication—officials joined crowds on the courthouse lawn to celebrate completion of a $13.4 million rehabilitation, marking the end of a multi-year journey to save the courthouse.
The community of Winamac gathered in September to mark the completed rehabilitation of the once-threatened Pulaski County Courthouse. PHOTO: Todd Zeiger
The Romanesque Revival courthouse has anchored the center of downtown Winamac since 1895, its limestone exterior distinguished by carved depictions of leaves, masks, and trees within the heavy stone arches, columns, and other details. The initial call for a new courthouse in 1894 drew proposals from 20 architects before county leaders settled on a design by Michigan architecture firm A.W. Rush and Son, who would subsequently design similar Romanesque Revival-style courthouses in Fulton and Rush counties.
Indiana Landmarks began working with community advocates in the early 2010s on solutions to address space constraints, accessibility, security concerns, and the normal responsibilities that come with maintaining a large historic building. A few years ago, commissioners solicited a proposal to renovate and add on to the courthouse but dismissed it as too expensive.
The courthouse’s significance and profound peril led Indiana Landmarks to take the extraordinary step of retaining Indianapolis-based Rowland Design (now Luminaut) to review the county’s initial plans. The firm’s comprehensive study demonstrated that demolition would be far more costly than moving forward with the proposed renovation. Convinced by the data, county commissioners voted unanimously in 2019 to expand the nearby Justice Center and fully renovate the historic courthouse. When delays in lining up the funding kept the project from moving forward, some leaders began to revisit the idea of demolition. Finally in 2024, with all funding finally in place, construction manager Tonn and Blank got to work.
The rehabilitation addressed years of deferred maintenance while incorporating modern improvements to create additional office space, bringing the majority of Pulaski County’s government offices back under one roof. Exterior work included repairs to masonry, the slate tile roof, and other historic features. Crews reconfigured the building’s entrances to make the main level more accessible and increase security. Inside, new heating and cooling systems created more comfortable spaces for workers and visitors. The first floor’s original tile and wainscoting were preserved, while a new interior color scheme and furnishings create attractive light-filled spaces.
With chunks missing from the plaster and dated furnishings, the former circuit courtroom looked time-worn and neglected. Workers removed aged blue-green carpet, repaired plaster, restored hardwood, and refinished wainscoting, adding fresh paint, new lighting, and furniture to create an impressive public meeting room.
“It’s been a very long journey to get to this point, but I think everyone who works in the building is thrilled with the transformation,” says Nathan Origer, executive director of the Pulaski County Community Development Commission, who also served as project manager. “At the end of the day, it’s good for the town to have the county seat right in the heart of downtown, allowing us to reduce our facilities footprint a little bit and offer as many services to the public as possible in one place.”
“The rehabilitation of the Pulaski County Courthouse not only ensures this inspiring landmark is restored and saved for future generations, but that it will continue to serve as an economic catalyst, bringing people and business to the iconic heart of downtown Winamac,” adds Todd Zeiger, director of Indiana Landmarks’ Northern Regional Office.
This article first appeared in the November/December 2025 issue of Indiana Preservation, Indiana Landmarks’ member magazine.
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