Morgan County is all about the mineral water. In 1887 workers hit it while drilling for gas just east of downtown Martinsville. Their exasperation soon turned to optimism when scientists tested the stuff- in their view, it had healing properties! Although the last sanitarium closed in 1971¹, reminders of the area’s heritage are easy to find. Some aren’t pleasant, but the Morgan County Courthouse has stood as a silent witness to them all for a very long time.