Newly renovated Pulaski County Courthouse combines aesthetics with efficiency to reinvigorate hub of Pulaski County

The historic Pulaski County Courthouse in Winamac has stood for over a century as a fixture of the county. During that time, it has seen thousands of visitors pass through its doors. Coupled with the passage of 130 years, the Pulaski County government found itself needing to either renovate and modernize or tear down the courthouse due to safety concerns. Following public reception to the idea, it chose the former.

“There was a proposal to build a substantial expansion to the Justice Center across the street that would vacate the courthouse, leaving the county to decide whether to leave the courthouse empty, find a buyer for it, or demolish it,” said Nathan P. Origer, executive director of the Pulaski County Community Development Commission. “That did not really go over well with the public. At this point, Rowland Designs, the architecture firm being used in the original Justice Center project, received a grant from Indiana Landmarks to perform an in-depth study of the courthouse and provide us with alternative options.”

Rowland Designs would present the county with alternative plans that protected the courthouse from demolition. The county ultimately went with a smaller addition to the Justice Center as well as a plan to modernize the courthouse. While piecemeal renovations and additions had been added to the courthouse in previous years, such as the addition of ADA-compliant amenities, this project proved far more extensive.

“This was a bottom-to-top rehabilitation and partial gutting,” Origer said. “We didn’t remove plaster walls or flooring anywhere we didn’t have to, but we basically did everything else.”

Renovations to the courthouse included pouring a new slab on the basin with an updated vapor barrier and gravel substrate to ensure moisture protection for the records stored in the building. New electrical and mechanical systems were also installed as well as new flooring, furniture, and more.

“It was a truly comprehensive makeover for the building structurally and superficially,” Origer said. “If there was work to be done, we did it.”

Beyond making the historic building safe and letting it remain in the community, the renovations to the courthouse also help to centralize much of the day-to-day operations of the Pulaski County government, promoting collaboration and convenience throughout the county.

“The county has 25 departments, and now 60% of them are within walking distance of each other,” Origer said. “It’s convenient for the public and the departments themselves since there’s a lot of interaction. In some cases, it turns what could have been a 20 minute trip into a two minute trip. It’s not always critical for everyone to be in the same building, but it certainly makes inter-office relationships more efficient.”

Ultimately, this renovation project allows the courthouse to remain a hub for Pulaski County. Stop by the courthouse to see all of the renovations for yourself, from new furniture to the power-washed sandstone exterior. Pulaski County and Rowland Designs have walked a fine line of preserving history while ensuring safety, accessibility, and public approval. 

“I think it’s easy to underappreciate what an intricate ballet a project like this can be,” Origer said. “It’s a very messy but sophisticated process balancing employee and public safety, ADA compliance, aesthetics, workplace efficiency, and historic preservation. We’ve been giving public updates on Facebook and have been receiving almost exclusively positive feedback, and it seems like they have been very happy with this project.”The Pulaski County Courthouse is open from Monday-Friday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Learn more about everything happening in Pulaski County at pulaskionline.org.