Peru Courthouses

Peru's first courthouse was built in 1843. It was a two story brick building 40 feet square, in the Greek Revival style of architecture. It had tall white pillars reaching to the roof and a cupola with a weather vane on top. There was a fireplace in each room. On the night of March 16, 1843, it was destroyed by fire. Most of the county records were destroyed.
In 1856 a new courthouse was begun. It was a two-story building, which was of brick in the Norman Style of architecture, was completed in 1858.
By 1905 the second courthouse had grown too small to accomodate the county's business. The building was blown up. The front of this courthouse faced South.
Work then began on the third courthouse which is standing today-2006. The building was completed December 31, 1910 but was not dedicated until 1911.
A special note: In between the burning of the first courthouse and the building of the second court business was conducted in the Presbyterian Church that was located in the first block of West Third Street.