Originally called "Mockingbird Square" because the classic film To Kill a Mockingbird was filmed there, the landmark of the Universal Studios backlot became "Courthouse Square" after it was used extensively in Back to the Future. The courthouse became a huge part of the films, as its iconic clock provides the energy needed to get Marty McFly Back to the FUTURE!
However it wasn't originally supposed to be that way. The original script called for the climactic scene to take place in the Nevada desert. The project went over budget, however, so a cheaper locale was needed. The producers found a perfect substitute right on the Universal Studios backlot. The courthouse would become an icon, still seen by millions of Universal Studios guests each year on the famed backlot tram tour.
