STEUBEN COUNTY - Four public workshops took place on Wednesday and Thursday regarding the future of the Steuben County Courthouse.

The new Steuben County judicial center is expected to open in June, and the future of the 156-year-old Steuben County Courthouse building has not been finalized.

Steuben County hosted four public work shops between May 1-2 to gather community input on the historic building's future.

The Steuben County Commissioners and the Steuben County Council both approved a steering committee for the courthouse's future to be formed in December 2023.

The committee included contributions from the county itself, Steuben County Tourism Bureau, the Steuben County Community Foundation, the city of Angola, Cameron Memorial Community Hospital and Trine University.

They hired HWC Engineering for $85,000 to conduct a study on the courthouse.

Each group paid a portion of the firms fee with Steuben County paying $15,000, Steuben County Tourism Bureau paying $25,000, Steuben County Community Foundation contributing $20,000,the City of Angola providing $15,000 and Cameron Memorial Community Hospital and Trine University both contributed $5,000.

Superior Court Judge Bill Fee said he wishes the courthouse to be restored to it's original two-storied balcony courtroom.

He believes the restoration could result in the county utilizing the building for an array of events such as Steuben County Commissioner meetings and well as both public and private ceremonies.

The courthouse was first built in 1868 and designed after Boston’s Fanieul Hall. It has been on the National Register of Historic Places since 1975.