The Cal Lynch art studio and gallery building is located next to my home in the beautiful mountains above Confluence. Cal Lynch is a nationally recognized artist with paintings accepted in over a hundred juried shows around the country.
Somerset
In 1795, Somerset County was formed from Bedford County. The town was officially designated as the proper location for the county seat of justice, and the first term of court was held with Alexander Addison presiding.
The first building in Somerset County was considered a temporary log jail, which stood at the southwest corner of Center Avenue and Patriot Street. With the local government in place, we soon needed a courthouse. Three courthouses have been built on the current courthouse's location.
The first courthouse in Somerset County was built of stone and raised in 1801. For about 50 years, it was sufficient, but in 1853, a need arose for something a little larger. The second courthouse was two stories tall, with a cupola, and made of brick.
The cupola peaked at 112 feet above the ground and was visible throughout the entire area. Again, only about 50 years later, the population increase demanded a larger building, and in 1907, our current courthouse was being occupied. Parts of the second courthouse can still be seen at the entrance of Ankney Square cemetery or Patriot Street. The two large columns were part of the original columns of the second courthouse.
Museums
Organizations
The rugged Allegheny Mountains, though scarcely noticed by today's high speed travelers, presented a formidable barrier to our eighteenth century ancestors.