Return of the 'Publiksquare'

Urbanization? Keep it in the court...house square, that is.

1 minute read

May 26, 2004, 10:00 AM PDT

"At a time when four-lane highways and commercial supercenters dominate the American landscape, many small towns are once again clustering around a Southern tradition: the courthouse square....Meanwhile, local officials and urban planners say the courthouse square is being revived as a center of commerce and a public gathering place."

Under the courthouse square concept, once known as 'publiksquare', land is plotted on a grid with a courthouse serving as the center of the community. In the 18th and early 19th centuries, courthouses often functioned as activity hubs. Many are advocating for the revival of the courthouse hub concept as a strategy for reversing sprawl.

Thanks to Connie Chung

FULL STORY: 'Courthouse square' concept making small town comeback

Saturday, May 22, 2004 in The Chicago Tribune

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