Chickasaw County Courthouse (Iowa) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Chickasaw County Courthouse
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Chickasaw County Courthouse in 2009
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 Location in Iowa
Location in the United States
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| Location | Prospect St. at Locust Ave., New Hampton, Iowa |
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| Area | less than one acre |
| Built | 1929-1930 |
| Architect | Ralston & Ralston |
| Architectural style | Streamline Moderne Art Deco Stripped Classicism |
| MPS | County Courthouses in Iowa TR |
| NRHP reference No. | 81000228 |
| Added to NRHP | July 02, 1981 |
The Chickasaw County Courthouse is an important historical building. It is located at 8 East Prospect Street in New Hampton, Iowa, United States. This building was added to the National Register of Historic Places on July 2, 1981. It is the fourth building used for court activities and county government in Chickasaw County.
Contents
History of the Chickasaw County Courthouse
Finding a County Seat
In 1854, the town of Bradford was chosen as the first county seat for Chickasaw County. A simple log building was built to serve as the courthouse. One of the first big decisions made in this new building was to move the county seat. People wanted it to be in a more central town.
In 1857, the county seat was officially moved to New Hampton. However, some people in the southern part of the county disagreed. They thought a different location would be better. An election was held to decide the matter again.
New Hampton Wins the County Seat
After the election, it was found that the voting records had been changed. This led to a legal fight in the courts. In the end, New Hampton was confirmed as the county seat. This meant the courthouse would stay there.
The First Courthouses in New Hampton
The first courthouse in New Hampton was a wooden building. It was finished in 1865. Later, in 1876, a brick addition with four rooms was built. Sadly, this courthouse was destroyed by a fire on March 26, 1880. Luckily, all the important county records were saved.
To keep the county seat in New Hampton, the people of the city raised $5,000 for a new courthouse. A new building, made of brick and stone, was completed in 1881. It cost $10,500. This courthouse had a clock tower that stood tall above the front of the building. In 1905 and 1906, two more sections were added to the building. Each addition cost about $4,200.
The Current Courthouse Building
The courthouse you see today was built between 1929 and 1930. It was designed by a company called Ralston & Ralston from Waterloo, Iowa. The building's style is called Stripped Classicism. It also shows strong influences from the Moderne and Art Deco styles.
The courthouse was built using a special type of stone called Bedford stone. It cost about $134,000 to build. This building is important because it represents the county government. It also shows the political power and importance of New Hampton as the county seat.
