Historic Calcasieu Parish Courthouse.

The first parish courthouse c1840 was a simple log cabin located in Marion, near Old Town Bay. In 1852 the building was moved to Lake Charles using slave labor. Land was donated by S. A. Kirby. A new two-story courthouse was built by Jacob Ryan c1872. It stood on the public square until it was moved across the street to what is now the northwest corner of City Hall. In 1890 a larger building was constructed and in 1902 it was enlarge — ionic capitals and a portico was added to the front facade. This building was destroyed in the Great Fire of April 23, 1910. The blaze, which started from a small trash fire behind the Opera House on Ryan St., quickly engulfed 7 city blocks, displaced hundreds and forever changed the town.nnBy 1912 the current Beaux-Arts style building was completed, costing abt $180,000. The new courthouse was modeled after the famous Villa Capra La Rotonda, in Italy. New Orleans architect firm Favrot and Livaudais designed the courthouse, along with both of the neighboring buildings — 1911 City Hall and the Cathedral.nnThe courthouse is open to the public from 8:30 to 4:30 week days. To enter the building at first floor level go to the entrance facing Pithon Street, near the breezeway on the west side of the courthouse. On the first floor you will find the Archives, Civil Records, Criminal, Pass Ports, Land/Mortgage Records, Subpoenas, Probates, Marriage Records, and Mortgage Certificates.nnIf you enter the building via the front entrance on Ryan Street, after you walk up the big steps you’ll be on the second floor. Here you will find the Civil Sheriffs Office and the Parish Voters Registrars. The front desk of the Cal Clerk of Courts is opposite from the Civil Sheriff. The Clerks Recording Department can be found on this floor.nnIf you take the marble steps (near the Ryan street entrance just inside the building) or elevator to the third-floor you will find the historic & beautifully restored Courtroom ‘A’. — surrounded by a marble hallway with entrances to the courtroom on all four sides. A small narrow staircase, inaccessible to the public, leads to the fourth floor “apartment”. This is where jurors were sequestered back in the day... this is also where famed murderess Toni Jo Henry was kept during trial. The courtroom now remains locked unless approved prior to the visit with the Clerk of Court and CPPJ (who owns the building).