“Get Your Taxes Paid and Auto License Here!”

“Get Your Taxes Paid and Auto License Here!”

Sami Windle Exhibits, Treasures From The Collection
Sherman County Courthouse Counter
The Sherman County Courthouse counter in its new role as a centerpiece.

In 1984 a massive metal counter came to the High Plains Museum from the Sherman County Courthouse. It was immediately placed into storage, hidden behind the exhibits. In September 2011, a new multipurpose space was created and the the counter was rediscovered, having since been covered with collection materials. The counter was cleaned up and placed on prominent display, acting as a centerpiece and  divider between the collections work room and the gallery space.

PM2202PEO - County Treasurer Wilda Runzel holds a truck license plate and stands next to the counter in May 1976.

The counter was used by the County Treasurer in the second Sherman County Courthouse, which was constructed in 1931. The plaques above each window read: “Taxes”, “Taxes” and “Auto License”.  The counter shows signs of moderate wear having been used for over 50 years. It has been modified over the years to facilitate easier transactions with the public, for example glass plates were laid into the counter service behind each window to ease the movement of paper. In the 1980s it found a permanent home at the High Plains Museum when the courthouse went full access to the public: no more bars to restrict interactions between county personnel and the public.