Clinton County Courthouse (Iowa) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Clinton County Courthouse
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 Location in Iowa
Location in the United States
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| Location | Between 6th and 7th Aves. Clinton, Iowa |
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| Area | less than one acre |
| Built | 1897 |
| Architect | G.S. Mansfield |
| Architectural style | Romanesque, Richardsonian Romanesque |
| MPS | County Courthouses in Iowa TR |
| NRHP reference No. | 81000230 |
| Added to NRHP | July 2, 1981 |
The Clinton County Courthouse is an important building in Clinton, Iowa, United States. It was built a long time ago, in 1897. This historic building was added to the National Register of Historic Places on July 2, 1981. It's special because it's the fourth courthouse that Clinton County has used for its government business.
Contents
A Look Back: The County's Courthouses
Early Courthouses in Camanche and DeWitt
When Clinton County was first formed, the town of Camanche became the first "county seat" around 1840. A county seat is the main town where the county government offices are located. In Camanche, county business was done in hotels and houses, not a special courthouse building.
In 1841, the lawmakers of the Iowa Territory decided the county seat could move. They chose a new town called Vanderburg, which was more in the center of the county. A simple wooden building was given for court use. The next year, the town's name changed to DeWitt. This was to honor DeWitt Clinton, who the county was named after.
There were plans to build a brick courthouse in DeWitt. It was supposed to cost $3,500, but it was never built because not enough people supported the idea. As the county government grew, court meetings moved to the attic of the wooden building. Other county offices used the rest of the space.
In 1846, the county bought the Exchange Hotel for more room. Then, in 1854, the county built a second courthouse in DeWitt. It was 40 feet by 50 feet and cost $6,000. This building looked similar to the Greek Revival style Scott County Courthouse in Davenport. Many people didn't like this new building because the county judge ordered it, not the people. A jail was also built in 1855.
Moving to Clinton
In 1865, the old Exchange Hotel was destroyed in a fire. By this time, many more people lived in the eastern part of the county, especially in the city of Clinton. So, the county decided to move the county seat to Clinton.
A new courthouse was built in Clinton in 1869. It was 44 feet by 52 feet and had two stories. This building was built very quickly, in just 23 days! The county first rented it. But by 1878, this building also became too small. Another building was built next to it to hold some of the county offices.
The Current Courthouse Building
Money was set aside in 1892 to build the courthouse we see today. But there were problems with the construction. The ground had quicksand, which made the foundation weak. So, the foundation had to be rebuilt. A new architect and builder were hired. People also had to vote to approve more money, which caused delays.
The building was finally finished in 1897. It cost $168,000. The design was made by M.S. Mansfield. His design won a competition against eight other plans. The courthouse is built in the Richardsonian Romanesque style. This style often uses heavy stone and round arches.
The building is made of red sandstone and granite. A large central tower is covered with copper. The courthouse also has a hip roof with dormers (windows sticking out from the roof). It has special parapet gable ends and corner towers with conical roofs (cone-shaped tops). This building is important because it shows the history of county government and how important Clinton became as the county seat.
In August 2017, engineers found a problem. One of the beams in the basement that supports the first floor was damaged from normal use. The courthouse had to close for two weeks for repairs. County offices and court activities temporarily moved to another county building.
