Berrien Springs Courthouse

The white-columned Greek Revival courthouse on Union and Cass Streets is the oldest county courthouse still standing in Michigan. Built of local timber in 1839, it served Berrien County for more than fifty years before the seat shifted north to St. Joseph. The building is part of the History Center at Courthouse Square, a small museum complex run by the Berrien County Historical Association.

The square also includes the original jail and the county clerk's office, both restored. Exhibits inside cover everything from local Potawatomi history to fruit-growing in the area. Admission is modest, the volunteer staff are friendly, and the whole site rarely takes more than an hour.

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A story
Built in 1839 when Berrien Springs was the county seat, the courthouse held trials for fugitive slave cases during the 1840s, when southwestern Michigan was a busy corridor of the Underground Railroad. The county seat moved to St. Joseph in 1894, which is why this Greek Revival building still stands intact instead of being demolished for a larger replacement.