Rockford Rewind: Statues Adorn Winnebago Courthouse

One of Winnebago County's earliest courthouses was nearly completed when on May 11, 1877, disaster struck. The roof caved in killing 9 workers and injuring several others. Work soon resumed and the courthouse was dedicated just a year later. "Charity", along with three other statues, "Justice", "Mercy", and "Moses the Law Giver" stood four stories high on each corner of the building for 90 years.

Midway Village Museum Curator of Education Mark Herman says, "They took her down when they had to remodel the top of the courthouse it was starting to deteriorate"

The hand carved sandstone statues were created specifically for the courthouse to make a statement.

Herman says, "All the local counties around here have a courthouse of some kind, but they're all completely different. It just says a lot about the personality of the people who were in government at that time."

It's not clear what happened to the other three statues. There are rumors one or more may be privately owned in the Rockford area.