Hardin County in Eldora

Hardin County was established in 1851, named for Colonel John J. Hardin from Illinois who served in the Black Hawk War and was killed in the Mexican War. Eldora was chosen as the county seat in 1853. However, competition raged for years over the county seat, going to voters four different times, with legal battles and appeals over the election results from 1856 to 1891. Through it all, Eldora has remained Hardin County’s county seat.

Hardin County’s first courthouse was a small frame structure built in the 1850’s, which burned around 1855. A second courthouse was built in 1857. This two-story frame building was used until 1892. The current courthouse, designed in Romanesque and Victorian architectural styles by T.D. Allen, with construction beginning in 1892 by contractor J. F. Atkinson. The red brick structure features elaborate stone trim, arches supported by red marble columns, turrets, and a high clock tower with statues resting in an alcove below the clock. A fire in 1921 destroyed the roof and much of the clock tower. Major renovations were completed in 1970, implementing changes necessary for safety and comfort, while preserving many elements of its original beauty. The Hardin County courthouse was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1981.

Visit the Hardin County web site for more information.

Do you have photos, facts, or stories about the Hardin County Courthouse? Post a response, or send email to iowacourthouses@gmail.com

Dubuque County Courthouse in Dubuque

Dubuque County was established in 1834, named for Julien Dubuque, the first European settler in Iowa. The city of Dubuque was established in 1833; this first Iowa settlement became the county seat.

Dubuque’s first courthouse was a log structure built in 1838, replaced in 1843 by a brick building. Dubuque’s third courthouse was designed by local architect, Fridolin Heer & Son, and built in 1891. The red brick and Bedford stone structure features Beaux Arts architectural style, which includes Romanesque and Renaissance features. Several statues watch over the city from the roof, and Lady Justice stands atop the cupola’s golden dome. The Dubuque County courthouse was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1971.

Visit the Dubuque County web site for more information.

Do you have photos, facts, or stories about the Dubuque County Courthouse? Post a response, or send email to iowacourthouses@gmail.com

Polk County Courthouse in Des Moines

Polk County, named in honor of President James Polk, was established in 1846, and the centrally located Fort Des Moines (now Des Moines) was selected as the county seat.

Polk County’s first courthouse was a temporary structure, was built in 1848 on a site south of the current courthouse square. Construction began on the second courthouse in 1858, and took several years to complete. The needs of the county outgrew the courthouse, which was only used for 40 years. The current courthouse was designed using Beaux Arts/Federalist architectural style by Proudfoot & Bird, with construction beginning in 1900. Built with grey limestone, the interior contains many elaborate features including marble and wrought iron fixtures, carved woodwork and stained glass. The fourth floor features beautiful murals. The Polk County courthouse was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1979.

Visit the Polk County web site for more information.

Do you have photos, facts, or stories about the Polk County Courthouse? Post a response, or send email to iowacourthouses@gmail.com

Crawford County Courthouse at Denison

Crawford County was established in 1851, and Denison (named for founder and landowner J. W. Denison), was designated as its county seat. The first courthouse was constructed of brick in 1859, but the growing county quickly outgrew the building. Crawford County’s second courthouse was designed in Beaux Arts style by George A. Berlinghof, with construction beginning in 1903. Ohio marble, Port Wing sandstone, and Bedford white stone are all listed as materials used in the construction of Crawford County’s current courthouse. The original design included a dome, which was removed in 1946 for safety reasons. The Crawford County courthouse was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1981.

Visit the Crawford County web site for more information.

Do you have photos, facts, or stories about the Crawford County Courthouse? Post a response, or send email to iowacourthouses@gmail.com

Winneshiek County Courthouse at Decorah

Winneshiek County’s first courthouse was built in Decorah in 1858. It took several elections for voters to approve a new courthouse. The second county courthouse was designed by architects Kinney & Detweiler, with construction beginning in 1903 by O.H. Olson contractors. This courthouse, which underwent renovation to the second and third floors in 1990-91, still serves Winneshiek County today. The courthouse is part of the Broadway-Phelps Park Historic District, added in 1976 to the National Register of Historical Places.

Visit the Winneshiek County Convention & Visitors Bureau web site for more information.


Do you have photos, facts, or stories about the Winneshiek County Courthouse? Post a response, or send email to iowacourthouses@gmail.com

Scott County Courthouse in Davenport

Davenport was named as the Scott county seat in 1838. The first courthouse was built in 1842, and replaced in 1886. The second courthouse suffered severe termite damage to the support beams, additionally it was sinking into the sandy soil on which it sat.

Today’s courthouse, with its all aluminum exterior, was designed by Dougher, Rich, and Woodburn, and built in 1955 by Arthur Ebeling Assoc. An addition to the courthouse and jail designed by Larrison and Associates was completed in 2008.

Visit the Scott County web site for more information.

Do you have photos, facts, or stories about the Scott County Courthouse? Post a response, or send email to iowacourthouses@gmail.com

Humboldt County Courthouse in Dakota City

Humboldt County, named in honor of German naturalist and explorer Baron von Humboldt, was created in 1851, then dissolved by legislation in 1855, only to be re-established in 1857. Dakota City was selected for the county seat at that time, but the first courthouse was not built until 15 years later.

The current courthouse, designed by architects Dougher, Rich, and Woodburn, was built in 1939. The three-story building was constructed from gray brick and trimmed with Bedford stone. It is one of ten courthouses from the P.W.A. era that earned entry in 2003 to the National Register of Historic Places.

Visit the Humboldt County web site for more information.

Do you have photos, facts, or stories about the Humboldt County Courthouse? Post a response, or send email to iowacourthouses@gmail.com

Union County Courthouse in Creston

Union County was named prior to the Civil War, but with the preservation of the Union in mind. Its first county seat was Afton, which had two courthouses before the county seat was moved to the railroad town of Creston in 1890. The current building is Union County's fourth courthouse. It was designed with modern architecture by Williamson, Loebsack & Associates, and constructed in 1951-52 from concrete and faced with limestone.

Visit the Union County web site for more information.

Do you have photos, facts, or stories about the Union County Courthouse? Post a response, or send email to iowacourthouses@gmail.com

Howard County Courthouse in Cresco

The Howard County seat was in three locations – Vernon Springs, Howard Center, and Pikes Peak, before moving to Shook’s Grove (now known as Cresco) in 1867.

The current courthouse was built in 1879, designed in Italianate-Classic architectural style and built by J. L. Harlow and B. D. Everingham with red and buff colored brick. Two additions were constructed in 1964. The Howard County courthouse was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1981.

Visit the Howard County Economic Development web site for more information.

Do you have photos, facts, or stories about the Howard County Courthouse? Post a response, or send email to iowacourthouses@gmail.com

Pottawattamie County Courthouse in Council Bluffs

The county seat for Pottawattamie County had several names – Hart’s Bluff, Miller’s Hollow, Kanesville, and finally in 1853 renamed Council Bluffs. It was an important gateway to the west for Mormon pioneers, gold prospectors, and others.

The current courthouse is Council Bluff’s third courthouse, designed by Hollis and Miller with construction beginning in 1975 by A. Borchman Sons. The statue of Lady Justice from the previous courthouse is displayed in the lobby.

Next to the courthouse is the historic Squirrel Cage Jail, built in 1885. It is only one of three remaining jails with a rotating cell area, a special design to minimize the amount of contact with each prisoner. No longer housing prisoners, the jail serves as a museum.

Pottawattamie County has a second courthouse in Avoca to serve the eastern portion of the county.

Visit the Pottawattamie County web site for more information.

Do you have photos, facts, or stories about the Pottawattamie County Courthouse? Post a response, or send email to iowacourthouses@gmail.com

Wayne County Courthouse in Corydon

Wayne County has always had its county seat in the same location near the center of the county, but its name had to be changed from Springfield to Corydon because there was already an Iowa town of Springfield. A log cabin was used initially, followed by a small structure, which was abandoned in 1871. County business was conducted in several downtown buildings until a large red brick courthouse was completed in 1890.
The current courthouse is Wayne County’s fourth courthouse, designed by architects Frankhiser and Hutchens and built by Grabau Construction, was completed in 1964. This three-story modern-design structure sits in the center of the business district, just east of the site of the prior courthouse.

Visit the Wayne County Development web site for more information.

Do you have photos, facts, or stories about the Wayne County Courthouse? Post a response, or send email to iowacourthouses@gmail.com