Work to improve the grounds around the Cole County Courthouse began Monday.
Workers from Hentges Tree Service, hired by the County Commission, took down two trees on the lawn facing Monroe Street.
"Last fall we had a storm with high winds, which severely damaged one of the trees," said Presiding Commissioner Sam Bushman. "The other tree was hollow and had termites."
Plans are to put in new sidewalks around the courthouse.
"The heavy equipment that was used to install the new windows at the courthouse and annex wreaked havoc on the lawn and sidewalks, so now that the window work is done we can focus on landscaping," he said.
The commission is having some design work done on the project, Bushman added.
"The Jane Randolph Daughters of the American Revolution are celebrating their 125th anniversary, and they were looking for some memorial that could endure," he said. "Also, the Christopher Casey Sons of the American Revolution were looking to do a memorial, and both have approached us about planting trees on the courthouse lawn."
Bushman said each group would do one tree, and each would be the same height as the recently removed trees.
"We'll probably end up with some type of maple because they are usually easy to take care of and that's what we want," he said.
Another tree could be planted to mark the bicentennial of Cole County in 2020, Bushman said.
"The main entrance and exit steps also have to be replaced, and we might get rid of the inner sidewalks," Bushman said. "We're starting out with a clean slate."