In looking at the significance of a courthouse square, one should
consult "The Central Courthouse Square in the American County Seat"
by Edward T. Price. Price defines a central courthouse square as "a
rectangular block surrounded by streets, with the courthouse, often
the grandest and most ornate building in the county, standing alone
in the middle of the square and the town's leading business houses
enclosing the square symmetrically on all four sides" (125). This
definition provides a good description of most country town
squares. Like in many towns across Middle TN, typically,
construction of a courthouse is completed on a new site, where it
becomes the center of the county seat, which in turn becomes the
trading center and largest town in the county. The courthouse, in
the early development of county seats and country towns, served as
a magnet that attracted people and businesses.
As far as the origins of these squares are concerned, one would
have to look right here in Shelbyville. In central Tennessee, the
Shelbyville, or Block, square emerged during the early 1800s and
that design was carried in all directions. It took hold primarily
in the Midwest. The Shelbyville square seems to have been an
"American development."
As in many other areas, the square eventually saw a decline in
much of its original vitality. Many different developments aided
this decline. The railroads usually brought money away from the
square. The advent of the automobile resulted in congetion in
downtown areas. Within the past couple of decades, urban sprawl has
had an adverse affect on central courthouse squares across the
nation.