Henry County Courthouse (Iowa) facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Henry County Courthouse
U.S. National Register of Historic Places
Location in Iowa Show map of Iowa Location in the United States Show map of the United States
Location	Washington St. Mount Pleasant, Iowa
Built	1914
Built by	English Brothers
Architectural style	Classical Revival
MPS	County Courthouses in Iowa TR
NRHP reference No.	81000244
Added to NRHP	July 02, 1981

The Henry County Courthouse is an important building in Mount Pleasant, Iowa, United States. It is the main building for the government of Henry County. This courthouse was built in 1914. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1981. This means it is a special building recognized for its history and design.

History of the Henry County Courthouse

When Henry County was first set up in 1837, its government used simple log cabins. This was a common way for many counties in Iowa to start. Plans for the very first courthouse were approved in June 1837.

However, building the first courthouse took some time. This structure was about 30 feet long and 18 feet wide. It was finally finished in 1839. The second courthouse was actually an older building called Hill Hall, which was updated in 1870. The current courthouse replaced it in 1914. It was built by a company called English Brothers from Champaign, Illinois.

Architecture and Design

The Henry County Courthouse has a style called Neoclassical. This style is inspired by ancient Greek and Roman buildings. The courthouse has large, round columns that are part of the wall. These columns have special tops called capitals. They are in a simple style known as the Doric order.

Above the main entrance, there is a small triangle-shaped part called a pediment. The windows on the building have simple frames around them. The top edge of the building, called the parapet, is flat. It does not have a fancy decorative edge like some buildings.