The Keokuk County Courthouse located in Sigourney, Iowa, United States, was built in 1911. It was individually listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1981 as a part of the County Courthouses in Iowa Thematic Resource.[2] In 1999 it was included as a contributing property in the Public Square Historic District.[3] The courthouse is the fourth building the county has used for court functions and county administration.
Keokuk County Courthouse | |
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| Location | Main St. Sigourney, Iowa |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 41°20′0″N 92°12′16″W / 41.33333°N 92.20444°W |
| Built | 1909-1911 |
| Built by | J.L Simmons |
| Architect | Wetherell & Gage |
| Architectural style | Classical Revival |
| Part of | Public Square Historic District (ID99000487) |
| MPS | County Courthouses in Iowa TR |
| NRHP reference No. | 81000251 [1] |
| Added to NRHP | July 2, 1981 |
History edit
Keokuk County built its first courthouse in Sigourney in 1845 for $218.[4] The 24-by-20-foot (7.3 by 6.1 m) building, which was constructed of logs, also housed the jail and served as a schoolhouse, public hall, and hotel.[5] Lancaster became the county seat in the late 1840s and a two-story frame courthouse was built there in 1848 for $699. By the mid-1850s the county seat was back in Sigourney. A new courthouse was built in 1858 for $17,200.[4] It was remodeled over the years until the present courthouse was begun in 1909. It was completed two years later at a cost of $150,000.[4]
Architecture edit
The building was designed in the Classical Revival style by the Des Moines architectural firm Wetherell & Gage, and built by J.L Simmons. The Columbian Exposition of 1893 in Chicago influenced the design of the building.[3] The Bedford limestone structure rests on a raised basement level. Each facade features a frontispiece with large engaged columns in the Ionic order that are set in antis above first floor level.[6] It is capped by a clock tower and cupola. Other historic structures on the courthouse square include a fountain, bandstand, and a Civil War Monument. The significance of the courthouse is derived from its association with county government, and the political power and prestige of Sigourney as the county seat.[6]
References edit
- ^ "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. 2010-11-08.
- ^ M.H. Bowers. "County Courthouses in Iowa Thematic Resource". National Park Service. Retrieved 2016-01-13.
- ^ a b Molly Myers Naumann. "Public Square Historic District". National Park Service. Retrieved 2016-01-13.
- ^ a b c "Keokuk County Courthouse". Iowa Judicial Branch. Retrieved 2011-02-14.
- ^ Stanek, Edward and Jacqueline (1976). Iowa's Magnificent County Courthouses. Des Moines: Wallace-Homestead. p. 114. ISBN 0-87069-189-9.
- ^ a b M.H. Bowers. "Keokuk County Courthouse". National Park Service. Retrieved 2015-12-27. with photo
External links edit
Media related to Keokuk County Courthouse at Wikimedia Commons