Greensburg is the county seat of Decatur county and has a
population of around 11,000. It was founded in 1822
and named after the town of the same in Pennsylvania. It is famous
because of the tower tree. The public began noticing trees on top of the
tower in the 1870's and there have been a number of them since.
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Decatur County Courthouse
This is the well known courthouse in Greensburg with the tree growing on it’s tower. The Decatur County courthouse was built in the late 1850′s and in 1994 they finally decided to built an addition onto it rather than demolish it. This view is looking northwest and was taken on Tuesday afternoon December 1, 2009.
A Closeup View of the Mulberry Tree
A closeup of the Mulberry tree. Trees starting growing on the tower in the 1870′s and I understand there has always been one since. I first viewed this courthouse and tree in 1954 on the way to Kentucky with my father, I was eight years old and never forgot it. Looking northeast on September 9, 2009.
Courthouse Square - East Side
A view of the east side of the courthouse square. The square is rather quaint in that most of the old buildings are still intact, rather rare these days. This view is looking southeast.
Courthouse Square - Mid block of East Side
The alley and buildings mid-block looking east-southeast. I have yet to get good shots of the other sides of the square so tomorrow we will be heading elsewhere. These photos were taken on Tuesday afternoon, December 1, 2009.
Courthouse Square - South Side
A view of the whole block that sits across from the courthouse to the south. In the past thirty years I believe there have been a number of store fronts changed on the ground level. I remember then explaining to a local judge what a fine block of old buildings this was with only one modern store front. This view is looking to the southeast.
Courthouse Square - South Side - Building Closeup
A closeup of a few of the buildings showing the beautiful facades of the upper stories. Our downtown buildings have something special, irreplaceable that can be felt when left alone and kept up. It is strange and sad that this and past generations can not see nor understand this. The ironic point of this now is that many people would flock to an original town square which would probably mean more business. These photographs were taken on Tuesday afternoon, December 1, 2009.
Courthouse Square - South Side - East End
I again took out the modern power poles, lights, wires and some signs. It seems to take one back about seventy years and reduces a lot of confusion in a photo. I wish now I had spent more time here on this day taking more photos, however the old paper mill in Carthage that I was headed for and got a photo of….has since burnt down.
Building Facades in the 200 Block of East Main
A closeup view of the upper facades of the distant buildings in the view above. I love the detail work in these Victorian buildings. These photographs were taken on Tuesday, December 1, 2009.