The first Courthouse was located on the hill overlooking the Green River. It was built on the site of the present Holiness Church sometime after the first Court of the County was held in the James Landrum Tavern House in June 1854. In Court Order Book A, Page 33, Monday July 3rd 1854, Charles Hamilton and F. M. Bristow brought before the Court a selection and plat designating lots 72 and 79 to be the “Seat of Justice for the County of McLean.”
In Order Book B, pages 219 & 220, July 4th, 1864, it was ordered by the Court to select a committee to bring in plans to build a new Court House. The old building had been damaged beyond repair during the War and a storm.
Calhoun CH, 1872
The Second Courthouse was built in 1872 and burned on January 8, 1908.
Source: Daily Public Ledger (Maysville, Ky.), 20 January 1908; Chronicling America: Historic American Newspapers:
"The McLean county Courthouse at Calhoun, Ky, was burned last Wednesday night. The fire started after a night session of Court. The loss is $40,000. Nearly all the records were destroyed."
Note: Other sources say most records were in a fire-proof safe and were saved.
Click on photo for a larger version.