Cumberland To Take Next Steps To Repair Historic Courthouse After Leak

Cumberland County will take the next steps to repair its historic courthouse after getting reports back from engineering inspections.

A leak in the building last year led engineers to find structural integrity issues which caused a portion of the building to close. Mayor Allen Foster said the courthouse has been held up with temporary shoring while architects and engineers determine the next best steps.

“It’s important that we repair our history and the people that built this thing did it right they went as far as putting concrete down for the flooring on the third level which actually saved us a lot of money all these years later,” Foster said. “So they did it right the first time and we want to do it right this time.”

Foster said the repairs could cost up to $6 million. He said the county has done a good job budgeting conservatively to be able to afford the project.

In addition to fixing the leak, Foster said they will be able to renovate and upgrade other portions of the building. He said right now, the project’s timeline estimate is about a year and a half.

“You don’t have a whole lot of courthouses left in the area that are like ours, we’ve got the beautiful clock tower and it was built in 1905,” Foster said. “It was actually our third courthouse but it’s significant to us. It’s made out of Indiana limestone and I think it’s one of the most beautiful courthouses in the state and I may be biased, but I just feel honored to walk in the steps every day.”