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88-507: The Berrien County Historical Commission (later the Association) was established in 1967 to save and restore the 1839 Courthouse to its original look. The Commission developed plans for the restoration of the Courthouse and began to raise funds to make these plans almost immediately. After receiving their 501c3 designation in 1968, fundraising increase and the group secured several grants and were

176-567: A contentious battle. In 1895, the county began construction on the new courthouse, but while some operations made the move seamless to St. Joseph, some remained in Berrien Springs for at least another year. This included the Sheriff, whose new residence and jail were completed in the early fall of 1895. Despite no longer needing the complex in Berrien Springs, the county was hesitant to sell at first. Residents of Berrien Springs continued to use

264-576: A dance hall, and a community center. It was also used by the Christian Brethren , the Shakers , and the Seventh-day Adventists as a house of workshop. At the time of its construction, the building cost $ 2,500. In addition to being on the state and national Register of Historic Places, the Courthouse was named a Michigan Bar Association legal milestone in 2013. By 1859, the county was facing

352-448: A full renovation. Under the original restoration project, only the office was designed as it had been in 1870 while the rest of the lower levels were converted to temporary exhibit space, allowing for the BCHA to host numerous exhibits throughout the year.  The Office underwent renovation in 2021 and the time period of interpretation is now 1885. Additional permanent displays were added to

440-418: A historic look to the structure and the interior was split in half – one side serving as the buggy shop and the other as the forge.  Originally, a wall separated the forge from the public, but it was eventually removed to open the space more when it wasn't in use. Over the years, the building has been the site of blacksmithing demonstrations for various events and programs, including a festival dedicated to

528-584: A historically accurate garden was added by the Michigan State University extension master gardener group as part of their course completion project.  Plans to renovate and expand the garden in addition to updating the cabin is on the books for the Historical Association. The Murdoch Cabin is one of the oldest surviving residential structures in the state of Michigan, with only a handful of other buildings surpassing it in age.  There

616-507: A log cabin, but had not know its historical significance. Originally the Historical Commission had hoped to leave the house in its location and build a park around it.  However, that did not come to fruition and for five years the house stood on Kephart Lane, the victim of time, weather, and vandals. Eventually, recognition from the state pushed the preservation plans forward.  Funds from various donors and municipalities made

704-587: A mixed-use building. In 1968, the Berrien County Historical Commission and Berrien County joined forces to purchase the portion of the complex owned by the SDA church, with the goal of saving the Courthouse. For the next eight years, the BCHC raised the funds needed to complete the restoration and completed it in 1975. As the commission decided to rebrand that same year, they also began to focus on securing

792-529: A railroad. While attempts were made, they repeatedly failed. By 1894, the calls for the county seat to be moved were too large to ignore and in April of that year, a vote was held to determine if it should be moved or not. The weeks leading up to election day were contentious as Berrien Springs, St. Joseph, and Niles vied for the county seat, with newspapers being a spirited part of the process. After Benton Harbor threw its votes behind its sister city, St. Joseph won

880-422: A series of renovations to the properties began in an effort to modernize existing exhibits and to bring much needed repairs to the buildings. The Courthouse received new windows in 2019 and in 2020, the building's wood rot was repair before the entire building was repainted. These were paid for by Berrien County. Interior renovations of permanent exhibit spaces have taken place each year since late 2019 and include

968-426: A serious issue – its size and needs had grown so much in twenty years that the offices in the lower level of the Courthouse were no longer functional space.  That year, the commissioners approved the construction of a new office building with the requirement that it be fireproof. Gilbert Avery was once again hired to design the one story brick structure and George H. Murdock was granted the construction contract to

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1056-633: A single title with 152 stories included in this volume. This series of books provided an in-depth look at various communities in Berrien County and include extensive pictorial sections pulled from the BCHA's own photography archive. Old Berrien County Courthouse Complex The Old Berrien County Courthouse Complex , also known as the History Center at Courthouse Square, is a historic district located in Berrien Springs, Michigan . The complex

1144-504: A system of interconnected multi-use trails connecting the cities of Mishawaka, Indiana, South Bend , and Niles. The trail runs through the aforementioned Riverfront Park. The two rail lines currently serving Niles are Amtrak's Blue Water and Wolverine services. The Blue Water line runs between Chicago and Port Huron , by way of East Lansing and Flint . The Wolverine line runs between Chicago and Pontiac , by way of Jackson , Ann Arbor and Detroit . Freight service provided by

1232-564: Is 1.6 acres and is home to five structures, two of which are the oldest of their kind in the state of Michigan. While the property and its buildings are owned by Berrien County and stewarded by the Berrien County Historical Association . While the historic 1839 Courthouse was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1970, the BCHA resubmitted the application to include the remaining property added during

1320-546: Is debate if it is the oldest two-story log cabin as the Davenport House on Mackinac Island, which is older, is believed to be a two-story structure.  However, with the modernization of the Davenport House, Murdoch remains the oldest two-story cabin in its original state. Not long after the Seventh-day Adventist Church purchased the majority of available land around the courthouse, they began to expand with

1408-543: Is located at the eastern edge of the city; it is the location of the city's annual Fourth of July celebration. Near Niles to the northwest is Fernwood Botanical Garden and Nature Preserve . Barron Lake and its adjacent community is to the east. The University of Notre Dame is six miles to the south in South Bend, Indiana. Niles is located on the northern end of the Indiana-Michigan River Valley Trail,

1496-1018: Is located downtown. The Riverfront Park in Niles stretches about a mile and a half of the St. Joseph River. The park and the immediate surrounding down town area is the main stage for many of the city's seasonal cultural events, including the Niles Riverfest, the Bluegrass Festival, the Hunter Ice Festival , and the Apple Festival Parade. The park also includes the Armed Forces Memorial, public stage, City's free skateboard park, playground, and sand volleyball courts. Niles includes two other smaller but notable parks. The Saint Joseph River Park, parts of which are now being excavated by archeologists,

1584-414: Is often commented on by visitors, but the county jail wasn't meant for long-term housing of criminals and because of the design of the building, prisoners had a chance to take walks around the cells while remaining confined to the building. The lower cells also had two doorways – the outer being traditional cell bars while the interior was a solid door (likely made of metal) that allowed for prisoners to use

1672-535: Is on an island in the middle of the St. Joseph River. The park has been known to become completely submerged during high flood waters. In 2003, the City of Niles was awarded a MEDC Community Development Block Grant which, together with private and city funds, allowed for the removal of aluminum fronts from two blocks on Main St. Basic facade restoration along with streetscape improvements were also made, including brick sidewalks and numerous brick flower beds. Jerry Tyler Airport

1760-475: Is rich and fertile. Crinoid and related fossils are easily found south of the city. According to the United States Census Bureau , the city has a total area of 5.95 square miles (15.41 km ), of which 5.79 square miles (15.00 km ) is land and 0.16 square miles (0.41 km ) is water. As of the census of 2010, there were 11,600 people, 4,806 households, and 2,836 families residing in

1848-885: Is run by Niles City Council and operated under contract by McDonald Transit. The agency is based in the same building as the city's Amtrak station. In addition to Dial-a-Ride service, it offers fixed route service via Route 2. The route runs through Niles throughout the weekdays. As of January 1, 2011, it also stops at South Bend, Indiana once every two hours. The route connects to South Bend TRANSPO Route 5 at Auten Road/Route 933 intersection. The Niles Community Schools consist of four elementary buildings: Northside (grades pre-K and K), Howard-Ellis (grades K-5), Ballard (grades K-5), and Eastside Connections School (grades K-8). The Niles District also has two middle schools: Ring Lardner (grades 6–8) and Eastside Connections School (grades 6–8). Niles High School (grades 9-12) and Niles New Tech Entrepreneurial Academy (grade 9) share students. In addition,

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1936-496: Is south of the French Paper Mill Factory Dam. It includes part of the original Fort St. Joseph. Archaeologists from Western Michigan University have uncovered numerous artifacts at this location. In the summer they host an "Open House" that allows patrons to visit the dig site, see displays of some of the artifacts, and also see demonstrations of historical reenactments. Niles also has a small park, Island Park, that

2024-675: The Air Line Branch . The final line through Niles was the southeast–northwest Benton Harbor Branch of the Cleveland, Cincinnati, Chicago and St. Louis Railway (also known as the Big Four), originally opened by the Elkhart, Niles and Lake Michigan Railroad in 1881. All of these lines were part of the New York Central Railroad system. The Air Line Branch was abandoned at Niles in 1937, and

2112-519: The National Register of Historic Places . Scenes in films such as Continental Divide , Midnight Run and Only the Lonely were shot here. Baggage cannot be checked at this location; however, up to two suitcases in addition to any "personal items" such as briefcases, purses, laptop bags, and infant equipment are allowed on board as carry-ons. Niles is served by Niles Dial-A-Ride Transportation System (DART). The service has been running since 1974. It

2200-668: The Norfolk Southern Railway . However, it was once served by several other lines. The Amtrak line was the Michigan Central Railroad 's main line, opened through Niles in 1848 and 1849. The St. Joseph Valley Railroad opened in 1870 as the Michigan Central's South Bend Branch , and the Michigan Air Line Railroad , leased to the Michigan Central, opened a line heading east from Niles in 1871, known as

2288-455: The 1901–1902 school year was held, with administrative offices in the Records building, classes in the Sheriff's Residence and Courthouse, and the courtroom itself serving as the college chapel. After the college moved to its new campus, the buildings were once again left abandoned, with minimal use. By the 1910s, the county split the complex apart and sold off portions to private owners, including

2376-421: The 1970s. The application was approve and the entire complex was added to the register 1982. Berrien County was officially established in 1831, but failed to secure a county seat until 1837. County offices and courts bounced between Niles and St. Joseph before Berrien Springs was chosen for its central location. That same year, the county accepted the donation of property along Union Street and commissioned

2464-529: The BCHA's growing collections. By 1995, the Jail Plaza, designed to mimic the floor and walls of the old jail, was completed. This would remain the last major renovation project until 2019. Although the county and the BCHA owned the Records Building since the 1990s, it wasn't until the 2000s before the last of the tenants vacated the property. Plans for the building had been around since the early 1990s, but

2552-438: The BCHC was looking towards other projects, the old auxiliary building and doctor's office had been earmarked for demolition. However, in 1977, the family of local resident George Bennett approached the organization with a substantial donation in their father's name. It was decided that the best way to honor this history lover was to turn the auxiliary building into an exhibit space. The newly minted Bennett's Forge and Buggy Shop

2640-468: The Benton Harbor Branch (Big Four) was removed north of Niles in 1980. The South Bend Branch was removed later that decade. The Amtrak station is located along the main line east of the former Benton Harbor Branch crossing and west of the former junctions with the South Bend and Air Line Branches. Amtrak uses the old Michigan Central station; the current structure was built in 1892 and is listed on

2728-566: The Commission secured enough funding to hire exhibit designer David Mohrhardt as the project manager and would later be promoted to the director position, which he held until 1979. Expansion of staff continued and by the 1980s, the BCHA regularly employed upwards to three people to handle what would become a year-round operation as the Courthouse Complex continued to grow throughout the next two decades. In addition to preserving and interpreting

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2816-614: The Commissioners were faced with the need for additional space. In 1860, the county once again turned to Gilbert Avery who designed the Records Building. Built by George Murdock, the one-story building also proved to be to small and a two-story addition was added in 1973. The county records were housed here along with the Registrar and the Probate Judge offices. With this addition, the complex stretched from Union Street to Madison Street and

2904-458: The County agreed to demolish them both as they had no historic value at the time.  Other plans for the use of the space were floated by both groups over the next few years until 1977 when a donation changed everything. George H. Bennett, a long-time resident of Berrien County, had passed away and a memorial fund had been created.  The family knew of Bennett's love of history and his support of

2992-564: The County looked into repurchasing the property in the 1960s, the building was in terrible condition despite its occupation. The County committed itself to uniting the entirety of the Courthouse Square and by 1990, the building was under its ownership.  While the BCHA debated on what to do with the building, tenants remained as occupants until at least 2000.  Plans over the years had included offices, storage, and exhibit space in various styles, however, continued costs associated with

3080-423: The Courthouse Square (the courthouse, the Sheriff's residence, the jail, and the records building), faced a series of tenants and alterations to their structures for several years after the move.  For a period of time in 1901 and 1902, the entire grounds was used as the temporary campus for Emmanuel Missionary College (the future Andrews University).  This site was used for the administration's offices during

3168-435: The Courthouse for meetings, community events, and even established a dance hall and armory. In 1900, Battle Creek College , a Seventh-day Adventist school, made the decision to move to a new location, opting for Berrien Springs. While their new campus was being constructed, the college, which had renamed itself Emmanuel Missionary College approached the county, seeking to rent the old complex buildings. The county agreed and

3256-466: The Michigan and Kansas Frontier book, Michigan Museum Association 2020: Recipient, PIVOT! Award, Michigan Museum Association This series of books began publication in 1988 and would eventually include three additional volumes. Later in 2004, volumes 1 and 2 were combined into a new volume and in 2005, volumes 3 and 4 received the same treatment. In 2009, all four volumes were re-edited and released under

3344-529: The North Berrien Historical Museum in Coloma, the board of directors voted in 2007 to rebrand the museum as the History Center at Courthouse Square. Since 1968, Berrien County has own the grounds and buildings of the History Center at Courthouse Square, providing financial support to the BCHA to operate the property as a museum. Until 2013, the Courthouse Square remained as standalone budget item for

3432-437: The Records Building and the Sheriff's Office. The jail, now in terrible condition, was torn down in 1916. With only the courthouse remaining under county ownership, the old Courthouse Complex was no more. The Seventh-day Adventist community had grown considerably, thanks in part to EMC (now Andrews University), and they approached the county to rent the Courthouse as a church. The agreement would remain in place until 1922, when

3520-493: The SDA Church realized their congregation had outgrown their space and built a new building on Niles Street, less than a mile from the Courthouse. The church officially moved into the new building in 1966 and two of the three buildings it owned on the grounds were shuttered. The sheriff's Residence remained under private ownership during this time and had been converted into apartments, while the Records Building had been turned into

3608-481: The addition of two buildings along Madison Street.  The first was a small cinder block building in the 1930s that became the home of the Women's Auxiliary group and the second, was a medical building that eventually became part of Andrews University. By the early 1970s, these two buildings and their land were purchased by the County in an effort to unite the original Courthouse Square.  The Historical Association and

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3696-451: The adjacent garden will be gutted and restructures to be more historical accurate. Bennett's Forge will also be upgraded with new exhibits about early industries in Berrien County, a restructured blacksmith forge, and a new area dedicated to traditional arts education. This will allow for demonstrations and workshops to be safely hosted on the property. The Records Building will be the new home for programming and temporary exhibits as well as

3784-546: The art in 2016.  The buggy shop eventually became storage for the BCHA's over-sized collections, including a wagon and a large boat discovered in the St. Joseph River in the 1970s.  This section is off-limits to the public as it is currently unsafe to enter. Niles, Michigan Niles is a city in Berrien and Cass counties in the U.S. state of Michigan , near the Indiana state line city of South Bend . The population

3872-405: The average family size was 3.02. In the city, the population was spread out, with 26.9% under the age of 18, 8.8% from 18 to 24, 28.1% from 25 to 44, 20.8% from 45 to 64, and 15.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females, there were 87.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 80.9 males. The median income for a household in the city

3960-401: The back wall removed for a new extension.  As families came and went, the house continued to be modernize, but the cabin remained hidden to the public.  In fact, upon its discovery, several individuals who had lived in the home in the past expressed shock and surprise that the cabin had been there all along, although the residents at the time of the home's presumed demolition knew it was

4048-487: The cabin as having been built in approximately 1830 and was the original home for Berrien Springs co-founder Francis Murdoch. In 1973, the BCHC agreed to have the building moved to the Courthouse property and it was placed just behind the courthouse. Two years later, the BCHC rebranded and became the Berrien County Historical Association to better reflect the growth of its mission and properties. As

4136-414: The church elders opted to purchase the building. After purchasing land to the west of the courthouse, the church built an auxiliary building to host meetings for their various groups. By the 1950s, a second building at the corner of M-139 and Madison Streets was constructed, serving as a doctor's office. The complex would remain under private ownership until the latter half of the 20th century. In 1965,

4224-431: The city. The population density was 2,109.5 inhabitants per square mile (814.5/km ). There were 5,531 housing units at an average density of 956.0 per square mile (369.1/km ). The racial makeup of the city was 82.19% White , 12.36% African American , 0.66% Native American , 0.52% Asian , 0.08% Pacific Islander , 1.26% from other races , and 2.93% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.97% of

4312-422: The city. The population density was 2,003.5 inhabitants per square mile (773.6/km ). There were 5,428 housing units at an average density of 937.5 per square mile (362.0/km ). The racial makeup of the city was 80.3% White , 12.4% African American , 0.6% Native American , 0.6% Asian , 0.1% Pacific Islander , 1.5% from other races , and 4.5% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 5.7% of

4400-467: The construction of the first permanent county building - a two-story wooden jail. After requesting bids in 1838, the county commissioners chose Gilbert B. Avery to construct the County Courthouse. Completed in 1839, the building served as both a site of government and as a community center for Berrien Springs residents. Over the next several decades, the county's growth impacted its operations, and

4488-506: The cost of the building's rehabilitation meant the BCHA had to raise millions to make their exhibit designs a reality. However, the 2006 recession hampered a planned capital campaign and in 2007, the building caught fire. After repairs to the structure had been made, both the County and the BCHA shifted their priorities to other projects. The building remains closed to the public and serves as storage for oversized collection pieces and for various items belonging to both organizations. In 2019,

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4576-399: The county sold the building to a private party and it was converted into apartments.  Unlike the Records Building, however, no additions were added to the Sheriff's Residence and when the building was purchased by the Berrien County Historical Commission in 1975, the exterior updates went smoothly.  Before interior restoration could begin, a fire swept through the upper levels, forcing

4664-531: The county. That year, the county commissioners agreed to place the complex under the auspices of the Parks Department and the transfer was completed in time for the 2014 Fiscal Year, become the departments seventh site. In addition to operational support, the county also provides building maintenance and ground care. The BCHA is home to the Clark Equipment Company's corporate archives, spanning from

4752-628: The early 20th century until the 1980s and includes annual reports, film reels, display models, and copies of the Clark Employee News , among others. In addition to the corporate files, the museum is home to additional Clark-related memorabilia donated by former employees or their families. 1977: Recipient, Award for restoration work on the 1839 Courthouse, Association for State and Local History 2001: Recipient, Excellence in Institutional Achievement for Adeline and Julia: Growing Up on

4840-406: The election. The loss was a bitter one for Berrien Springs and The Berrien Springs Era didn't hold back as the county began its move, "The motive power used in the removal was mostly furnished by horses, but the direction of affairs was left to the jackasses, of which St. Joe has an abundance." For their part, St. Joseph was quite humble in their victory, tipping their hat to their neighbors after

4928-511: The family started in their new home.  Research indicated that the house had been two story since the very beginning and its likely given the Kimmels’ standing in Berrien County along with Francis’ career as a lawyer, a quality home would have been important to the family. It is believed that the precursor to the building's modern exterior was added around the time of the Civil War, with portions of

5016-482: The five historic structures located within the Courthouse complex, the BCHA hosted numerous programs and temporary exhibits over the years with special focus on topics related to Berrien County history, including popular bus tours in the 2000s, a film series in the 1970s, and serving as a long-time partner for the Berrien Springs Pickle Festival . After several name changes and continued confusion with

5104-496: The former site until the BCHA created the Jail Plaza in the early 1990s.  Funded by several organizations, the plaza includes a layout of the lower level cells and two of them were fully reconstructed. The cabin was dated to 1830, the year Francis Murdoch and his family arrived in Berrien County, although it is possible that the home was built prior to their arrival and may have been started in 1829.   Most first time log cabin structures were simple in nature – something to get

5192-433: The future home for the every growing collections. The reimagining of these spaces will allow for continued use by audiences of ages and abilities while ensure the buildings remain preserved for years to come. The Old Berrien County Courthouse Complex was renamed the History Center at Courthouse Square to better encompass the narrative the BCHA and Berrien County tell within its buildings. While five buildings are located on

5280-404: The lower level at this time. The upper levels were converted to office spaces and the research library while the rear wing was modified to house the archives and collections.  For a brief period of time in the 2000s, the lower level was home to the gift shop, but has since reverted to exhibit space. The jail was completed at the same time as the residence and was also two-stories tall, but it

5368-407: The move possible. The building was moved intact to the Courthouse Square in 1973 and area experts created new wall sections to match the original in order to close the holes. In the early years, the house was outfitted in period artifacts, but currently the home is semi-empty when not in use by re-enactors and the upper level is off limits to the public until repairs can be made. By the early 1990s,

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5456-463: The offices for the county Clerk and Register of Deeds and it also housed the offices for the Judge of Probate.  The building remained in use by the county until April 1894 when an election was held to move the town seat.  The bitter event eventually ended in the favor of St. Joseph and that summer, everything was moved to a temporary location until the 1896 Courthouse was completed. The buildings of

5544-467: The on-going project in Berrien Springs.  The family approached the Historical Association, suggesting that the Auxiliary Building become home to a forge and buggy shop, allowing for the grounds to have yet another building that interpreted early county history. They agreed and by August 1978, the renovation was completed.  The interior and exterior walls were covered in cedar boards, giving

5632-418: The permanent exhibits of the 1839 Courthouse and the Sheriff's Residence. Temporary exhibit space was updated in 2019 and 2021. In 2022, the BCHA will focus on much needed upgrade to the existing collection and archival storage spaces, including new storage to allow space for the existing collection to grow. Over the next few years, the cabin will be restored and receive exhibit upgrades for both levels while

5720-442: The population. There were 4,806 households, of which 32.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 35.8% were married couples living together, 17.7% had a female householder with no husband present, 5.5% had a male householder with no wife present, and 41.0% were non-families. 34.8% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size

5808-410: The population. There were 5,096 households, out of which 30.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 39.2% were married couples living together, 16.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 40.1% were non-families. 34.3% of all households were made up of individuals, and 13.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.35 and

5896-471: The prisoners being held at the old jail were moved to the new one, that building was then torn down. With a small road passing through the property, visitors to the complex had easy access to each building on foot or by buggy. In the early 1870s, discontent with the Courthouse's location began and over the next two decades, the complaints grew louder. Despite being located in the middle of the county, Berrien Springs lacked any direct transportation line, like

5984-407: The property, only four are available to the public for current exhibits and events. The Courthouse was built in 1839 and is a traditional Greek Revival style. The lower level once housed county offices prior to the construction of the Records Building and remained the location of court-related needs until the county seat moved in 1984. In addition to serving as a courthouse, it has been an armory,

6072-527: The recipient of outside fundraisers and governmental funds as work continued into the early 1970s. By 1974, work on the courthouse was considered complete and with that, the Commission chose to rebrand as the Association. It was deemed that a rebrand was necessary as the organization had grown beyond its original mission with the addition of other properties like the Murdoch Log Cabin . In the early 1970s,

6160-559: The remaining two buildings - Records and Sheriff's Residence. By the late 1970s, the latter had been purchased and the former wouldn't be re-added to the property until the 1990s, although the building wouldn't be available for restoration until 2000. In 1968, the Murdoch Log Cabin was uncovered during a routine demolition. For the next five years, it was debated what would happen to the structure. Extensive research by local historians, aided by Western Michigan University , established

6248-534: The renovation of the building and the new updates proved to be prohibitive. In 2006, the BCHA embarked on a capital campaign to raise 2.3 million dollars to finally renovate the building, however a one-two punch derailed it.  The first was the Great Recession, which saw available funding sources evaporate.  The second was a fire in October 2007, which destroyed the interior and the roof, but did not compromise

6336-571: The school district has Cedar Lane (alternative education), Southside (special education), and Westside (adult education and administration). The Brandywine School District serves Niles Township and portions of Bertrand, and Milton Townships. Its name is derived from the Brandywine Creek which is a tributary to the St. Joseph River. The schools consist of Merritt Elementary (grades pre-k - 2), Brandywine Elementary (grades 3–6), and Brandywine Middle/High School (grades 7–12). The school district also hosts

6424-405: The school year. Eventually the land was broken up, with different buildings purchased by private individuals.  The building was modified over the years, including two non-brick additions in the 20th century.  While the building served as apartments for most of its post-county existence, until the 2000s, a laundromat and a local soft water company occupied the two story section. By the time

6512-410: The structural integrity of the building.  By 2009, a new roof and point tucking repair had been completed, but the damaged windows remain boarded up. This building, completed in 1870, is two-stories tall and was designed with living space and the sheriff's office on the lower levels and bedrooms on the second floor.  A rear wing housed the kitchen, the space is connected with a staircase and it

6600-471: The tub, they pumped the cistern until the levels were low enough for them to drop inside.  They dropped into the now open hole and began to dig a tunnel under the north wall of the jail, but the soft ground caused it to collapse and the prisoners were forced to tunnel upwards.  They were successful and soon were on the lam.  The sheriff was joined by the county clerk and several townspeople and within days most of them were recaptured.  The story

6688-507: The tune of $ 3,000.  However, Murdock had difficulty completing the project and at the behest of the county, Avery stepped in as the contractor and was able to complete the building in less than a year.  In February 1860, the County Clerk, Treasurer, and Register of Deeds occupied their new space. The building continued to serve the county well and it was expanded in 1873.  The two story Italianate addition allowed for expansion of

6776-465: The washtub located in the core.  The pump was connected to a 700 barrel rainwater cistern, which was located beneath the building.  Those housed on the upper levels were led in through an empty cell to use the space before being escorted back to their cell. The design worked sometimes too well and in July 1883, eight prisoners took advantage of the layout to launch a daring escape.  After removing

6864-466: Was $ 31,208, and the median income for a family was $ 38,870. Males had a median income of $ 31,395 versus $ 22,991 for females. The per capita income for the city was $ 16,584. About 9.9% of families and 13.6% of the population were below the poverty line , including 17.8% of those under age 18 and 7.2% of those age 65 or over. Chapin Mansion , built by Henry A. Chapin and formerly serving as Niles City Hall,

6952-673: Was 11,988 according to the 2020 census . It is the larger, by population, of the two principal cities in the Niles- Benton Harbor metropolitan area , an area with 153,797 people. Niles lies on the banks of the St. Joseph River , at the site of the French Fort St. Joseph , which was built in 1697 to protect the Jesuit Mission established in 1691. After 1761, it was held by the British and

7040-439: Was 2.37 and the average family size was 3.05. The median age in the city was 36.1 years. 25.6% of residents were under the age of 18; 9.1% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 26.6% were from 25 to 44; 24.4% were from 45 to 64; and 14.4% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 47.1% male and 52.9% female. As of the census of 2000, there were 12,204 people, 5,096 households, and 3,052 families residing in

7128-548: Was captured on May 25, 1763, by Native Americans during Pontiac's Rebellion . The British retook the fort but it was not re-garrisoned and served as a trading post. During the American Revolutionary War , the fort was held for a short time by a Spanish force. The occupation of the fort by the four nations of France, Britain, Spain, and the United States has earned Niles the nickname City of Four Flags. The town

7216-417: Was in Berrien Springs and like other structures on the ground, was essentially abandoned after the seat was moved to St. Joseph. As with the Courthouse and Records building, the Sheriff's Residence was home to Emmanuel Missionary College (the future Andrews University) in 1901-1902 as classroom space.  And after they moved to their new campus, the building remained empty for several years.  Eventually

7304-758: Was named after Hezekiah Niles , editor of the Niles Register , a Baltimore newspaper. The town of Niles as it exists today was settled in 1827. Between 1820 and 1865, Niles was an integral part of the Underground Railroad , helping slaves escape from as far south as New Orleans through the Heartland , and eventually into Canada . The city is situated on the St. Joseph River and is mostly surrounded by Niles Township . Glacial deposits of large boulders and smooth stones mingle with heavy sedimentary deposits, producing rolling hills and steep river banks. The soil

7392-403: Was noted that kitchen was on both levels.   The exterior porch as it is seen today was added to the building much later and was not part of the original design of the house.  The office and at least on room upstairs had a pass-through door to the jail, allowing the sheriff to quickly access the space from inside the house.  Nine sheriffs called this building home while the county seat

7480-511: Was now hemmed in on all four sides by roads. Two more building was constructed by the County - the 1870 Sheriff's Office and the County Jail. As before, Avery was hired to design the building, although he ended up overseeing the construction after issues with the builder. The buildings were completed at the end of 1869, with the sheriff and his family moving into the building in January 1870. Once

7568-406: Was opened to the public in 1978. The doctor's office was torn down in the 1980s. The Sheriff's Residence was finally available for renovation in the early 1980s and all phases were completed by 1985.. The upper levels were set aside as work space for staff, while the lower level included space for permanent and temporary exhibits. The addition on the back of the house was converted into vaults for

7656-404: Was quite thrilling and people from around the county turned the site into a short-lived tourist attraction.  Reports indicate a Niles woman took samples of the earth from their excavation site home with her. After the county moved to St. Joseph, the building was left to fall in disrepair.  By 1916, time and vandalism forced the county to tear down the building.  Nothing was done with

7744-668: Was topped off with a skylight that illuminated the space and provided much needed ventilation.  The skylight was almost whimsical, shaped like an upside down cone topped with a glass globe and gave the rectangular building a distinctive silhouette. The interior was just as unique, with Avery employing a circular pattern to the jail cells layout, with the center rising the full two stories.  The upper level contained eight larger cells designed to house women and children along with “less desperate characters.”  The lower level cells were much smaller, with sixteen in total available to house male prisoners.  The small size of these cells

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