The Pershing County Courthouse in

Lovelock, Nevada Lovelock is the county seat of Pershing County, Nevada, United States, in which it is the only incorporated city. It is the namesake of a nearby medium-security men's prison and a Cold War-era gunnery range. Formerly a stop for settlers on the ...

is a

Classical Revival Neoclassical architecture is an architectural style produced by the Neoclassical movement that began in the mid-18th century in Italy and France. It became one of the most prominent architectural styles in the Western world. The prevailing style ...

building built in 1920–21. The courthouse's plan is hexagonal with a circular dome over the central circular courtroom. The building was designed by

Frederic Joseph DeLongchamps Frederic Joseph DeLongchamps (June 2, 1882 – February 11, 1969) was an American architect. He was one of Nevada's most prolific architects, yet is notable for entering the architectural profession with no extensive formal training. He has also ...

, who had previously designed six other

Nevada Nevada ( ; ) is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States, Western region of the United States. It is bordered by Oregon to the northwest, Idaho to the northeast, California to the west, Arizona to the southeast, and Utah to the east. N ...

courthouses. DeLongchamps was involved in the design of a new courthouse for Humboldt County, where the old courthouse had burned. As a result of resentment over assessments for the replacement in Winnemucca, the new

Pershing County Pershing County is a county in the U.S. state of Nevada. As of the 2020 census, the population was 6,650. Its county seat is Lovelock. The county was named after army general John J. Pershing (1860–1948). It was formed from Humboldt County ...

was created from part of Humboldt County and its seat established in Lovelock. DeLongchamps, as Supervising Architect for the State of Nevada, undertook the new Lovelock courthouse. The courthouse features a shallow Ionic portico on a raised basement backed by a plain rectangular mass. Behind this is the hexagonal main body of the courthouse, built with curving walls. A shallow dome, reminiscent of

Thomas Jefferson Thomas Jefferson (April 13, 1743 – July 4, 1826) was an American statesman, diplomat, lawyer, architect, philosopher, and Founding Fathers of the United States, Founding Father who served as the third president of the United States from 18 ...

University of Virginia Library The University of Virginia (UVA) is a public research university in Charlottesville, Virginia. Founded in 1819 by Thomas Jefferson, the university is ranked among the top academic institutions in the United States, with highly selective adm ...

, crowns the central courtroom. The primary building materials are brick with stone trim and

terra cotta Terracotta, terra cotta, or terra-cotta (; ; ), in its material sense as an earthenware substrate, is a clay-based unglazed or glazed ceramic where the fired body is porous. In applied art, craft, construction, and architecture, terracotta ...

detailing. Construction cost amounted to $99,138.68.

References

External links

Pershing County Courthouse
Online Nevada Encyclopedia {{commons category Courthouses on the National Register of Historic Places in Nevada Neoclassical architecture in Nevada Government buildings completed in 1921 Frederic Joseph DeLongchamps buildings Buildings and structures in Pershing County, Nevada National Register of Historic Places in Pershing County, Nevada