The cornerstone of the present Adair County Courthouse was laid in downtown Greenfield on July 4, 1891. The cornerstone features historical items including a bible; bottles of wine, corn, and oil; the history of Greenfield; and a letter to be opened by the oldest man present when removed. The $27,000 courthouse was designed by S.E. Maxon of Council Bluffs, the firm which also designed the Fremont County Courthouse in Sidney.
Published April 2, 2012 |
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Adair County
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Delaware County was established in 1837 when Dubuque County was divided into a number of smaller counties. Shortly after, Delhi was chosen as the county seat with the first log courthouse constructed in the winter of 1843. After two larger courthouse buildings, and several elections, a vote on November 2, 1880, named Manchester the county seat. Following this election, Manchester citizens quickly constructed a two-story frame courthouse. The temporary structure served the county for a decade before the current facility was constructed in 1894. A clock tower was added the following year, thanks to contributions from 700 county residents.
Published March 27, 2012 |
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Delaware County
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The first courthouse in Benton County was made of logs and lacked both a roof and floor, making court sessions extremely difficult during rainy weather. A local log home served as a backup location before a second courthouse was completed in 1852. Within a year, the new facility was destroyed by fire, and a third courthouse was dedicated in December 1856. The current courthouse was constructed in 1906 at a cost of $105,000. The sandstone building is highlighted by its 112-foot high clock and bell tower. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1976.
Published March 26, 2012 |
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Benton County
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The town of Afton was named the seat of Union County in 1855, three years after the county was founded. Shortly after, a two-story frame building was constructed to serve as the county’s first courthouse. As the county grew, more space for the courthouse was needed and a larger brick building was constructed in Afton at a cost of $25,000. In 1890, residents of the growing city of Creston pooled funds to construct a new courthouse for the county. An election made the move official, as Creston officially gained county seat status on November 25, 1890. The present courthouse was constructed of concrete and limestone in 1951, at a cost of $300,000.
Published February 1, 2012 |
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Union County
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Fremont County’s first brick courthouse was established in the seat of Sidney in 1860 and served the county for nearly three decades before being destroyed by arson May 16, 1888. Though Hamburg and Farragut attempted to gain county seat status, in November 1888, a majority of county voters approved a property tax increase for funds to construct a new courthouse in Sidney at a cost.
In March 1889, S.E. Maxon of Council Bluffs was appointed the architect and the building contract was awarded to a firm in nearby Nebraska City, Nebraska; construction was completed the following year. The Fremont Courthouse, which was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1966, has seen only a handful of modifications since construction.
Published December 26, 2011 |
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Fremont County
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