Roy Blunt: “I rise today to honor an important historical date in Greene County, MO, my home county. October 26 was the centennial…”

“I rise today to honor an important historical date in Greene County, MO, my home county. October 26 was the centennial of the historic Greene County Courthouse--the place where I worked for more than a decade as county clerk. The current Greene County Courthouse is actually the third built in Greene County. The 20th century courthouse was intended to be a unifying structure for what had developed as two communities prior to the Civil War. Both communities came under one municipal government in 1887, and the new courthouse was to be a structure built between North Springfield and the central business district. Work to find a site was begun in 1904 and concluded with the purchase of a lot on Central Avenue in 1908. Architect A.N. Torbitt, of Miller, Opel and Torbitt in Jefferson City, MO, was chosen to draft plans for the new structure, and the cornerstone ceremony for the new courthouse was held on July 16, 1910. The impressive new building, built of Greene County Phoenix stone, took nearly 2 years to complete. In March 1912, the courts moved into the new building. Even Springfield's city hall took up residence there, where it remained for more than 25 years until its move into the post office a block away. The historic Greene County Courthouse was and remains important to the economic growth, development and prosperity of Springfield and Greene County.…”