1916 Elevator in Missouri Courthouse Closed for Repairs

A more-than-100-year-old cage elevator serving the Jasper County Courthouse in Carthage, Missouri, is closed so it can undergo vital repairs, The Joplin Globe reports. The courthouse was built in 1894, and the elevator was added in 1916. A county commissioner said a recent inspection found a faulty gear mechanism that makes the unit unsafe to operate. Since the component is so old, it will have to be manufactured — a process that will take up to four months, he said. The commissioner said a hole will have to be cut in the elevator’s roof for the replacement parts to be lowered into place. In the meantime, some cases have been shifted to Joplin, Missouri, and Jasper County leaders are ensuring the courts accommodate all cases. “If need be and if you have a court issue to be handled here, they’ll come down to you,” he said.