An exterior sign that had fallen into disrepair outside a historic county building now has a fresh, new look.
According to a social media post from Independence County Judge Kevin Jeffery, the sign in front of the Jess B. Carpenter building on Main Street in Batesville was illegible and the framework was in “a state of shambles.”
“Over a year ago, I set a goal of getting the sign brought up to standard. I shared my concern with Circuit Clerk Greg Wallis, and discovered that he too wanted the sign restored,” Jeffery wrote. “When Independence County received unanticipated revenue from the court system during the month of January, I thought what better way to fund a courthouse sign repair than unanticipated funds originating from the legal system.”
Jeffery says the new sign is built with heavy-duty materials and will last “for many years to come.”
The building was constructed in 1904 and housed the U.S. Post Office and other federal offices. The building’s architect was James Knox Taylor, the supervising architect of the U.S. Treasury at the time. The building was built using brown brick and Batesville marble for the foundation, trim, and accents.
When a new U.S. Post office was built in 1974, then-County Judge Jess Carpenter was instrumental in purchasing the building for county use.
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