CHIPPEWA COUNTY — A water pipe bursting early Sunday morning in the Chippewa County Courthouse has caused significant water damage to the historic building.
The incident occurred around 3 a.m. on Dec. 14 when Chippewa County Administrator Kelly Church received an alert from the courthouse’s alarm company indicating a ‘trouble’ alert that could not be reset.
Upon investigation by corrections officers, water was found flowing in the building, prompting Church to arrive and shut off the main water valve.
“The biggest fear is trying to get it back to the historical state,” said Kelly Church, Chippewa County Administrator. “It is a historical building. You are not going to be able to do that just in the section where the water damage was.”
The courthouse, built in 1877, is the oldest operational courthouse in Michigan, adding to the urgency of restoring its historical integrity.
The damage was traced to a third-floor bathroom where a window had been blown open by the wind, freezing a pipe beneath a sink.
Church mentioned that the courtrooms in the building will be closed through Tuesday, and advised people to call ahead to check which offices are open.
Efforts to restore the courthouse to its historical state are underway, as the building holds significant importance to the community and will be 150 years old in 2027.