Ceremonial Courtroom restoration near completion; court to resume in August

The words of Abraham Lincoln that encircled the walls of the grand Ceremonial Courtroom in the Kenosha County Courthouse when it was built 101 years ago are now back in sight.

The same is true of the colorful stained glass of the room’s massive skylight and windows, as well as its detailed decorations.

Stepping into the room today, it might as well be 1925.

This is the scene in what is now the Branch 8 courtroom as the yearlong Ceremonial Courtroom restoration project comes to a close, with court expected to resume sessions in the grand space early in August.

Gone is the drop ceiling that obscured much of the room’s ornamentation when it was installed in 1966 to accommodate air conditioning equipment, and back is a faithful reproduction of the space that prolific Kenosha architect Joseph Lindl envisioned when he designed the building in the early 1920s.

“It is truly a thrill to see the Ceremonial Courtroom restored to its original glory,” Kerkman said. “This is an effort that wouldn’t have been possible without the generosity of dozens of private donors and strong support from the County Board. The result is breathtaking — even more so than I had imagined.” 

The public will have the opportunity to experience the space on Sunday, Oct. 4, when an open house will be held from 1 to 3 p.m. More details on that event will be released in the coming months.

Restoration years in the making

The effort to restore the courtroom began several years ago under then-County Executive Jim Kreuser, who commissioned a “micro-restoration” of one corner of the room. There, the drop ceiling was removed, and restoration experts set about determining the feasibility of restoration.

With the scope of the work in sight, the county in 2021 obtained a $675,000 matching grant from the Jeffris Family Foundation, a Janesville-based organization that supports historic preservation efforts across the Midwest. The grant required raising $1.35 million in private donations, an ultimately successful effort led by a Blue Ribbon Committee co-chaired by retired Judge Mary Kay Wagner and former County Executive John Collins.

After private fundraising was completed in 2024, the County Board unanimously approved funding the balance of the project, which included much-needed updates to the room’s mechanical systems and the installation of modern courtroom information technology and audiovisual equipment.

While the restored room preserves an architectural landmark in the community, it will serve as a working courtroom, occupied by Judge Chad G. Kerkman’s court.

“My staff and I feel very grateful to be able to work in such an amazingly beautiful courtroom,” Judge Kerkman said. “When you walk into Branch 8 of the Courthouse, you will feel like you were transported back in time to when the courthouse was first built 100 years ago. Everyone involved with the renovation project attended to every detail.”

A team of experts

The detailed nature of the project required the work of artisans from across the United States and, in some cases, the world.

Michigan-based Historic Surfaces LLC, a specialized preservation and conservation firm led by Anthony and Mata Kartsonas, performed the painting and decorative work. KALAM, a New York and Spain-based firm that conducts historic preservation work across the globe, handled the ornamental plaster and glass restoration.

But it was a Kenosha company that tied it all together, with Camosy Construction serving as the project's construction manager.

President and CEO John Camosy noted that the project was especially meaningful to its team, as Senior Project Manager Bob Nikolai and Senior Field Superintendent Mark Vidas came out of their retirements to lead the job.

“It’s been an honor to help restore one of Kenosha County's most historic spaces,” Camosy said. “This project preserves an important part of our community's history while ensuring the Ceremonial Courtroom can continue serving future generations, and we're proud to have played a role in bringing it back to life.”