The Oswego County Courthouse

I lived in Oswego for nearly 4 years and never got around to photographing this beautiful building even though I was always drawn to it. It's a shame that we all feel that we need to travel to photograph things that fascinate us until we move away and think about all the lost opportunities.

There is so much old and beautiful architecture in the City of Oswego, but this is one of my favorite buildings. It is the Oswego County Courthouse and it is located in downtown Oswego, NY on Oneida St. It was built in 1860 and made the National Register of Historic Places in 2000.

The Oswego County Courthouse at Oswego, built between 1859 and 1860, is historically significant for its association with the development of government in Oswego County in the nineteenth century and architecturally significant as an outstanding example of mid-nineteenth century Renaissance Revival public architecture. Designed by the noted Syracuse architect Horatio Nelson White, the stylish and expensively built courthouse reflects a period of extended prosperity in the county based in great measure upon the success of the Oswego Canal and the port of Oswego. Joining several other distinguished public buildings of the period including the Market House (1836), the United States Customs House (1858), and the Gerrit Smith Library (1855), the Oswego County Courthouse reflects Oswego's mid-nineteenth century stature as an important center of shipping and commerce. Continuing in use for 140 years, the Oswego County Courthouse stands out as one of Central New York's finest examples of historic civic architecture.