Temple of Justice

[W. Gray]

From the Annals of Kansas:

January 24 1896: "Howard had a $50,000 fire which included the pioneer hotel, the Wellborn House, and the general store known as the "Temple of Justice."

Here is a photo of the general store in the 100 north block, west side of Wabash. The Wellborn House was next door north.

I have always wondered about the name "Temple of Justice" and how it originated but this morning it suddenly dawned on me that the name probably came from the fact that it was located in the building that was the former first Elk County Courthouse, thus the name. The courthouse had a carpeted courtroom occupying the entire second floor.

That first courthouse cost $5,000 in 1878. The second courthouse cost $40,000 in 1887, and the third and present courthouse cost $47,000 in 1906.