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Did you know that Courthouse 1 has two domes? Like many domes on buildings, there is an interior dome and an exterior dome. Usually, there can be a sizeable amount of space between the two. The following photo is taken from the blueprints for the 1996 dome restoration project. 

Follow the ladders in the center of the drawing up to the thin curved line. (The ladders are not visible because they are in the space between the two domes.) The thin line represents what we see from inside. You'll note the reference to the stained glass, which is what you see at the very top of the inside dome. Above that thin line is the part of the dome you can't see from inside. 

During the tour of the project, we learned that there is a gap between the walls leading up to the dome and the dome itself.  It runs around the entire base of the dome. 

Although it doesn't show in the photograph, with the naked eye we could make out one of the iron ladders inside. There are also connecting rods visible, along with a lot of dust and other, well, schmutz. 

We also discovered that the space used to be lighted. 

This lighting would never pass a code inspection today. It appears to be old "knob and tube" lighting, which was one of the very first types of indoor electrical wiring used. The bulbs seem to be old, standard incandescent bulbs like we used to buy at hardware stores. 

In the blueprint drawing, it labels this lighting feature as "cove lighting." In the following picture taken from one level below the top of the scaffolding, the cove lighting is a thin dark line roughly one-third up from the bottom of the image. 

The photo also gives you a first glimpse of the interior of the dome itself.

Looking up from the floor below, you would never realize the amount of detail in the plasterwork. (Yes, it's all hard plaster.)

What appears to be empty red paint covers trompe l'oeil (French for "trick the eye") work. It looks three-dimensional but is actually flat. In this photo and the following photo, we see what the Conrad Schmitt crew has recreated. The red paint was partially removed, but the even layers of paint underneath the red paint gave an indication of what was once there. In the photo below, the artists show what some of the detail work could look like.

There's more to come. 

The two large murals on the second floor of Courthouse 1 saw better days until recently. Painted long ago, over time misguided efforts at restoration involved putting a layer or two of varnish on the murals. Unfortunately, if varnish is not exposed to sunlight it darkens over time. This phenomenon occurred with our murals. In addition, for many years smoking was permitted in the courthouse, including in the rotunda. Each day, a miniscule layer of smoke and nicotine attached itself to the murals. As the days passed, those layers built up and helped darken the paintings. 

The team from Conrad Schmitt Studios inspected the murals and determined, thankfully, that no harsh chemicals would be needed to remove the built-up layers of smoke, nicotine, and varnish. In fact, the methods used to remove the unwanted layers are pretty simple: scraping and masking tape. 

Gentle scraping (you could even use your fingernail) removes the stuff you don't want and leaves the original paint behind. Masking tape that's available at any big box store helps pick up the bits that remain behind. 

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Here in this video clip (click the link to open), Danielle from Conrad Schmitt eyeballs part of the mural looking for bits of varnish. When she sees some, a quick press of masking tape lets her pull it away. (The masking tape is not your standard masking tape; it's a bit tackier but nowhere near as sticky as, say, duck tape.) 

Since we've been discussing the restoration of the 1896 Courthouse, it makes sense to learn about the architectural gem we have in our community. 

The 1896 Courthouse has some serious architectural street cred. An architectural firm headquartered in Boston, Massachusetts, was the designer. This firm, Shepley, Rutan and Coolidge, had a Chicago office that contributed to the 1893 Columbian Exposition in Chicago. This architectrual firm exists today. The firm designed the Art Institute of Chicago Building on Michigan Avenue, the inner quad of Stanford University, the Harvard Medical School, and the Chicago Public Library (now the Chicago Cultural Center), just to name a few.

The 1896 Courthouse is Neo-Classical in design, made of limestone, and features a granite foundation. A large dome defines the cross-axis of the gable roof with pedimented ends. A flagpole sits atop the dome. There is a set of clockworks in the space between the tiled roof and the interior ceiling, but the exterior clocks have not worked for a long time. The building also has a hidden spiral staircase going from the second floor up to the third floor on the west side of the building. 

There are two amazing things about Courthouse 1's rotunda. First, obviously, is its height. Second, and not so obvious, is the detail not necessarily visible to the naked eye. 

This molding is found above the lunette murals found atop the entrances to the two large courtrooms on the second floor. After the off-white paint is taken away, more details become visible because the color is not longer uniform. The contrast helps the eye understand there's "something" there even if the eye can't easily make it out. Astonishingly, there's more than shades of tan up there. If you look closely you can see a green color. 

Why do architects and designers bother with this type of detail when it's too far away for humans to really see? In the time when Gothic cathedrals were built (beginning in the late 1100s of the common era), artists included many kinds of details that the humans on the ground would never really see. For example, eyes and pupils carved into the gargoyles on a cathedral. But, in the minds of those artists, the Christian God would be able to see those details. To skip those details would have been a form of dishonesty before their God. 

Over the centuries the practice remains but the reasons have evolved. The idea of "integrity of detail" or "material honesty" means that an artist doesn't take the easy way out by omitting things the eye won't see. By including details invisible to the naked eye, the artist continues the same level of care in the craftsmanship that they exercised with the larger elements. 

Modern-day artists argue that the human brain detects the differences created by the details even if the eyes can't distinguish them. The brain "knows" those details are there. The overall effect is to create a feeling of completeness that leaves the mind satisfied rather than a vague sense of disappointment. 

This image shows the dome of Courthouse 1 before the scaffolding went up.  If you look at the center with the illuminated glass you can't see all the details. But a look from the very top of the scaffolding reveals a surprisingly large amount of molding and color. 

For example, who knew there is a strip of light blue up there? Or that there are patterns of squares along the edge of the skylight? Or that the shapes feature slightly different shades of yellows and golds? Or that there are brackets and other architectural features up there? 

There are more surprises to share with you soon. 

Bill Wilson

Thanks to the kindness of Conrad Scmitt Studios, I was able to ascend the scaffolding in the rotunda of Courthouse 1 in early March. Joining me were Judges Broden and Manier, along with St. Joseph County Council President Bryan Tanner, and members Amy Drake and Randy Figg. Rounding out the group was Notre Dame Professor of Architecture Duncan Stroik. In late February, another group of courthouse personnel were able to take the same journey. Bryon Roesselet served as our tour guide.

If you haven't been in Courthouse 1 for a while, here's a recent view of the scaffolding that sits on the second floor of the rotunda. 

After making sure our liability waivers were in order (and life insurance premiums were paid), we climbed the first ladder. Our first stop was the mural above the door to the Circuit Court courtroom. Here we have the painting by Conrad Arthur Thomas (more about him in a future post) titled "LaSalle at the Treaty of Miami, May 1681." 

As you can see, work has barely begun on this painting. Bryon explained that the restorers are not using any chemicals to remove the layers sitting on top of the original paint. Believe it or not, the layers can be removed by just scraping them off with your fingernail. The original paint is robust enough to not be disturbed. 

In this close-up you can see the brush strokes. 

While it's amazing to see a small preview of what a brighter, original painting will look like when the project is done, there's much more to be seen. Anyone who has been inside Courthouse 1 will recall that the color scheme on the second floor is off-white and off-white. We got a hint of what lies under the boring paint. 

While I could go on for much longer, court duties call. There's much more to come, including a good use of masking tape, surprise lightbulbs, and being able to almost touch the sky(light). Stay tuned!

Bill Wilson

Work starts soon in Courthouse 1 to repair the historic murals.  Thanks to the efforts of Jen Barhydt,  Bree Roberts,  and Chief Judge Hurley we have secured funding to restore these murals and the rotunda itself to its original splendor.

The St. Joseph Superior Court is pleased to announce the appointment of Amanda Wishin to the bench, filling the vacancy created by Magistrate Eric Tamashasky’s transition to private practice at the end of the year.

Born and raised in St. Joseph County, Ms. Wishin is a graduate of Marian High School and St. Mary’s College. She earned her J.D. and Master of Liberal Studies in English from Valparaiso University, where she was a member of the Law Honors Program and served as Associate Editor of the Valparaiso Law Review. During law school, Ms. Wishin clerked for United States District Court Judge Robert L. Miller, Jr., St. Joseph Superior Court Judge Michael Scopelitis, and the South Bend City Attorney’s Office.

After graduation, she practiced as an associate at Hunt Suedhoff Kalamaros for two years before relocating to Indianapolis, where she has served with distinction at the Indiana Office of Court Services (IOCS) for the past 15 years. During her time with IOCS, Ms. Wishin has been at the forefront of numerous court innovation projects, including the establishment of commercial courts, the successful implementation of cameras in the courtrooms, and the civil case management pathways pilot program.

She has served as the staff attorney to the Indiana Judicial Conference Board of Directors, as well as to numerous Judicial Conference committees, including Commercial Courts, Civil Benchbook, Innovation, Civil Litigation Taskforce, and Court Security. In addition, she has served as the civil law resource attorney for the statewide judiciary, providing research and drafting support on complex litigation matters and the Indiana Rules of Trial Procedure.

Ms. Wishin will begin her service as Magistrate of the St. Joseph Superior Court in January. Details regarding her investiture and robing ceremony will be shared in the new year.