Boone County Courthouse (Iowa) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
|
|
Boone County Courthouse
|
|
Boone County Courthouse
|
|
 Location in Iowa
Location in the United States
|
|
| Location | N. State and W. 2nd Sts. Boone, Iowa |
|---|---|
| Area | less than one acre |
| Built | 1917 |
| Architect | Norman T. Vorse |
| Architectural style | Renaissance Revival |
| MPS | County Courthouses in Iowa TR |
| NRHP reference No. | 81000226 |
| Added to NRHP | July 2, 1981 |
The Boone County Courthouse is an important building in Boone, Iowa, United States. It was built in 1917 and serves as the main office for the county government. This historic building was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1981 because of its special history and architecture. It's the third building Boone County has used for its court and administrative work.
History of the Boone County Courthouse
The first main office for Boone County was in a town called Boonesboro. In 1851, a simple double log house was used for court meetings. This was the very first building put up in Boonesboro after it became the county seat. A county seat is the main town where the county government is located.
Early Courthouses
The first real courthouse was a two-story building. It was built in 1856 and cost about $2,100. Later, people decided to build an even newer courthouse. Another town, Montana, wanted the new building to be there. But after two votes, Boonesboro remained the county seat.
A larger, three-story brick courthouse was finished in 1868. It cost about $35,000. This building had grand entrances with tall columns. It also had a central tower with a dome that reached 68 feet (about 21 meters) high. Over the years, local artists painted pictures on the walls.
Meanwhile, the town of Montana grew bigger. It changed its name to Boone. In 1892, Boone officially included what used to be Boonesboro.
The Current Courthouse
The old courthouse eventually became too small. So, plans were made for a brand new one. The courthouse you see today was finished in 1917. It cost $250,000 to build.
The building was designed by Norman T. Vorse, an architect from Des Moines. Its style is called Renaissance Revival. This means it looks like buildings from the Renaissance period in Europe.
Inside, the courthouse has beautiful marble walls and shiny terrazzo floors. The ceilings have special carved patterns called coffered ceilings. There are also colorful stained glass skylights that let in light.
On the outside, the main front of the building has eight tall columns. These columns are between the windows on the top two floors. The tops of the columns, called capitals, are in the Corinthian order. This is a fancy style with leaf-like designs. A decorative border, called a dentilated cornice, goes all around the building.
The Boone County Courthouse is important because it shows the history of county government. It also represents the power and importance of Boone as the county seat.
