DeKalb County | Kane County | Kendall County
Origin of Kane County
KANE COUNTY was created on January 16, 1836. It originally
included the present counties of Kane and DeKalb, and part of Kendall. Kane County was
named for Elias Kent Kane, a pioneer lawyer, territorial judge, prominent member of the
Constitutional Convention of 1818, first Secretary of State of Illinois, and a United
States Senator. The county is 520.7 square miles, and the 1990 population was 317,471.
History of Kane County Courthouses
Herrington Tavern and Inn, located on State Street in Geneva, served as Kane County's first courthouse. The reason for this choice? It housed the county's sole post office. In 1837, the county offices were moved out of Herrington's Tavern into a new courthouse on the corner of 4th and State streets. The growth of the county required a bigger courthouse just seven years later, so a new one was built on the site of the present City Hall, on Route 31.
The Illinois Constitution of 1848 enabled counties to change their form of government. The residents of Kane County chose to create a county-township system. Seventeen townships were created: Hampshire, Jackson (Rutland), Dundee, Burlington, Washington (Plato), Elgin, Franklin (Virgil), Fairfield (Campton), St. Charles, Royalton (Kaneville), Blackberry, Geneva, Batavia, Little Rock, Big Rock, Sugar Grove, and Fox River (Aurora).
Overcrowding in the jail and courthouse again created the need for a larger building. In 1854, bidding began for construction at the site of the present courthouse on 3rd Street. The building was not occupied until 1857, though, due to contract disputes.
The population of Kane County grew considerably after the Civil War. The mills and factories along the Fox River, as well as the railroads, led to the significant surge of people coming to the area for work. On the night of March 13, 1890, the Kane County Courthouse burned to the ground. Allegedly, the fire started during a lawyer's party. Fortunately, the records of the recorder, the county clerk, and the circuit clerk were locked in fire-proof vaults and were not damaged. The county rented a house for the next two years at 2nd and Campbell Streets, with clerks crowded into various rooms, and judges holding court in the dining room.
The next courthouse, which still is used today, is regarded as one of the finest in Illinois. The four-story building contains decorative iron railings and 11 murals depicting scenes from the county.
In 1972, the form of government in Kane County changed again when the Illinois Legislature established the County Board. The county was divided into 26 districts, with one board member elected from each district.
With the ever continuing growth of the county, the courthouse once again became overcrowded. In November 1972, after renting downtown Geneva homes for additional space, the county purchased the Sacred Heart Seminary on Route 31. By Spring of 1975, all county administrative offices had moved to the site, which became the Kane County Government Center. In 1975, the Public Building Commission refurbished the courthouse and converted the vacant offices into space for the circuit clerk and court.
As we all know, Kane County continued to grow, creating the need for more space. In September 1986, the County Board reactivated County Board Resolution 83-117, which formed the Courthouse Space Planning Committee. The committee selected the architectural firms to conduct a Space Needs/Feasibility Study. The committee remained in existence until May 1988, when the board voted to build a new courthouse on a site away from downtown Geneva.
On October 5, 1993, all traffic, misdemeanor, DUI, divorce, family, juvenile, and criminal felony cases were transferred to the new Kane County Judicial Center on Route 38 in St. Charles. The center also houses the offices of the Kane County State's Attorney, the Public Defender, Court Services, and the Law Library.
Page Modified 20 Apr 2007