The Middlesex County Courthouse is a historic

courthouse A courthouse or court house is a structure which houses judicial functions for a governmental entity such as a state, region, province, county, prefecture, regency, or similar governmental unit. A courthouse is home to one or more courtrooms, ...

building in East

Cambridge, Massachusetts Cambridge ( ) is a city in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States. It is a suburb in the Greater Boston metropolitan area, located directly across the Charles River from Boston. The city's population as of the 2020 United States census, ...

. It was initially designed in 1814-1816 by noted architect

Charles Bulfinch Charles Bulfinch (August 8, 1763 – April 15, 1844) was an early American architect, and has been regarded by many as the first American-born professional architect to practice.Baltzell, Edward Digby. ''Puritan Boston & Quaker Philadelphia''. Tra ...

(1763–1844), and subsequently enlarged in 1848 by Ammi B. Young. The original courthouse was given by

Andrew Craigie Andrew Craigie (1754–1819) is best known for serving as the first Apothecary General of the Continental Army during the American Revolution. The one-time owner of the Longfellow House–Washington's Headquarters National Historic Site, Craigi ...

as part of his scheme to develop East Cambridge. Bulfinch created its plans, and it was erected 1814-1816 on Third Street between Otis and Thorndike Streets. His original stuccoed building is now known by only one surviving sketch, and forms the central core of today's building. In 1848 architect Young enlarged and refaced the building in brick, adding late Federal and Greek Revival details such as a monumental cupola, Palladian windows, and recessed wall arches. A later 1924 addition obscured his 1848 entry facade. In 1973 the buildings were slated for demolition to make a parking lot, but saved by a preservation effort led by architect Graham Gund. Restoration efforts removed the 1924 addition, recreated Young's entry portico, restored its large clock tower, and cleaned and repaired the cupola's gold dome, brickwork, cast-iron trim, wrought-iron fencing, and slate and copper roofs. Other buildings in the restored Bulfinch Square include the imposing Registry of Deeds Building (1896, architect Otis Cutter) with its four giant brick-columned porticoes, the Clerk of Courts Building (1889), and the Third District Court Built (1931, architect Charles Greco). The Middlesex County Courthouse building is situated adjacent to the iconic 16 story former Edward J. Sullivan "Hi-rise" Superior court building.

References

Historical & Archaeological Resources of the Boston Area, Massachusetts Historical Commission

Eastern Cambridge Planning Study
* "Preserving America's Past", The New York Times, January 18, 1987.
WalkBoston description
* Local historical signs and markers, Bulfinch Square, Cambridge, Massachusetts {{coord, 42.3699, -71.0797, type:landmark_scale:1000, display=title Buildings and structures in Cambridge, Massachusetts Landmarks in Cambridge, Massachusetts County courthouses in Massachusetts Ammi B. Young buildings Charles Bulfinch buildings Federal architecture in Massachusetts Greek Revival architecture in Massachusetts