Dear friends and neighbors,
I write to you today to notify you of the impending demolition of a building with a history. The history of the building in question, namely the Bear Lake County Courthouse in Paris, Idaho, is particularly relevant at this intense moment in American life when old concerns about the nature of American democracy pointedly inform contemporary dialogues and political directions.
Since the 1890s, the Bear Lake County Courthouse has stood in the center of Paris, Idaho as a symbol of local government jurisdiction and empowerment. When the courthouse was built in the 1880s, however, this same building very much represented the disenfranchisement (curbed voting rights, prohibitions on jury service, etc.) of the county's population, most of them members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. In the eyes of these pioneering county citizens, the courthouse symbolized the (over)reach of regional, state, and national governments -- governments which, at that time, wished to curb the power of Bear Lake County's polygamous citizens under Idaho's newly passed Test Oath Laws.
Beyond detailing the history of Bear Lake County Courthouse, this history highlights an "architectural war" that, I argue, arose between the Bear Lake Courthouse, which was championed by local non-Mormons, and the sublime Paris, Idaho Tabernacle which Paris' Mormon citizens erected through great sacrifice. I should also note that the attached history also details tensions between the Bear Lake County Courthouse architect, Truman O. Angell Jr. and the Paris, Idaho tabernacle architect, Joseph Don Carlos Young. Both architects were relatives of Brigham Young (nephew and son respectively) and both architects served as either the official architect for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints or as assistant Church architect.
Several nonprofit groups have asked the Bear Lake County Commissioners to hold off on immediately demolishing the old courthouse so that the members of this partnership and other invested community members may have time to solicit donations and find ways to renovate the old courthouse and make it productive. This effort would not cost Bear Lake County taxpayers a cent. We will be making our final appeal to the county's commissioners. During this same meeting, Bear Lake County's Commissioners will debate how to proceed with the old courthouse's demolition.
If you would like to learn the history of the courthouse, or learn what could be done to preserve the old county courthouse, or would like to support these organizations in seeing how the building could be a benefit to the county.
Call 208-221-5322 for more information. friendsunitedforbearlake@gmail.com,
Laurie Rich
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