Douglas County Commissioner Charles Jones said he thinks about it every time he walks up the smooth but worn stairs of the 103-year-old courthouse at the corner of 11th and Massachusetts streets.

“You think about how many steps that took and who walked those stairs,” Jones said.

County Clerk Jamie Shew said he thinks about the building’s rich history each time he finds an old document, such as a book listing stray cattle and horses found in the late 1800s and what happened to them.

“I think there is a wealth of information regarding the history of the county that we really haven’t pulled together and shared with the public,” Shew said.

That’s why, about a year ago, Jones asked Watkins Community Museum of History to come up with a proposal for displaying county government history in the courthouse, 1100 Mass., and in the Judicial and Law Enforcement Center, 111 E. 11th St.

The museum recently gave its proposal to the county. It calls for a mixture of text and photographs displayed in ultraviolet-filtered Plexiglas panels. The main exhibit areas in the courthouse would be at the east and west entrances, the stairwells and, to a lesser extent, the elevator. Entrances and hallways also would be utilized at the law enforcement center.

The proposal also calls for hiring two assistants to research the historical background of the government, biographies and photographs of past county officials, and information about important court trials.

The proposal was prepared by Helen Krische, Watkins archivist and exhibit coordinator and Kerry Lippencott, Watkins curator and registrar.

County commissioners are considering a plan put together by Watkins Community Museum to display more of the county's history, mainly photos and text, in the halls of the courthouse and law enforcement center. An exhibit of photographs on architectural details of Lawrence by Lawrence photographer James Nedresky, veiwed through the iron stairwell railing, is currently on display at the courthouse.

“It was really exciting and a lot of fun,” Krische said. “I think we’ve got a lot of good ideas about how to go about it.”

The cost of the project was estimated at $20,000.

Jones said he was impressed with the proposal.

“I think our history is of men and women of all races and diversity, and we need to sing the praises of all who played a role in Douglas County history,” Jones said.

Jones said he hopes additional thought is given to possibly incorporating themes in establishing displays. He also hopes some displays can feature objects such as sheriff’s badges, for example.

“I hope we don’t just have a bunch of facts up there but rather that we somehow weave these facts into a story of who we are and where we are going,” he said.

No formal action has been taken by commissioners concerning the history display proposal, but Shew has agreed to lead a committee of county officials and employees to start the research process. He also is working with Watkins to determine how to preserve old documents. He hopes some of them can be made available to the public in an electronic format.

“I think it’s really important to preserve this stuff, and a lot of it is on paper,” Shew said. “We’ve learned from Watkins it can be harmful to the documents for people to touch them.”

Shew said several old interesting documents have been found in the drawers, nooks and crannies of his department during a reorganization process and the incorporation of a new filing system. Among them have been the original bids for the construction of the courthouse.

“I think there is a lot of stuff there that could be of public interest,” he said.