Lee County Courthouse (Keokuk, Iowa) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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U.S. Post Office and Courthouse
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 Location in Iowa
Location in the United States
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| Location | 25 N. 7th St. Keokuk, Iowa |
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| Area | 0.7 acres (0.28 ha) |
| Built | 1887 |
| Architect | Mifflin E. Bell |
| Architectural style | Late Victorian, round-arch Victorian |
| NRHP reference No. | 74000796 |
| Added to NRHP | January 24, 1974 |
The Lee County Courthouse is a special old building in Keokuk, Iowa, United States. It's also known as the South Lee County Courthouse or the U.S. Post Office and Courthouse. This building has a rich history and a unique design.
Building History
This important building was constructed a long time ago. Work started in April 1887, and it was finished by September 30, 1888. The person who designed it was Mifflin E. Bell. He was the main architect for the U.S. Treasury Department at that time.
When it was first built, the corner tower had five floors. But in 1890, two more floors were added, making it seven stories tall! James H. Windrim was the Supervising Architect then. In 1956, a new part was added to the back of the building. This gave more space for people to work.
For many years, the building had two main uses. The top floors were a Federal courthouse, where legal cases were handled. The first floor was a post office, where people sent and received mail. Because of its history, the building was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1974. This list helps protect important historical places.
A Courthouse for Lee County
In 1992, Lee County bought the building. They fixed it up to use as a courthouse for the southern part of the county. This is interesting because Lee County is the only county in Iowa with two courthouses!
The Iowa General Assembly, which is like Iowa's state government, decided this in 1848. They made Keokuk the second county seat. A county seat is the main town where the county government is located. The county was split into northern and southern parts by something called the Sullivan Line. Before this building, other places in Keokuk served as the county courthouse. These included the Sanford Medical College and the old YWCA Building.
Building Design
This three-story building is made of brick and was built in the 1880s. It measures about 108 feet long and 62 feet wide. Its design shows off a style called Late Victorian and "round-arch Victorian."
The bottom part of the building, including the basement and foundation, is made of a special stone called Bedford limestone. This limestone is also used for the building's decorations and trim. All the windows on the three floors have a round-arch shape. The windows get smaller as you go up from the first floor to the third floor.
In the middle of the front of the building, there's a large wall dormer. A dormer is a window that sticks out from a sloping roof. There used to be two more dormers on the roof, but they were removed. You can also see wall dormers on the sides of the building.
The top part of the west side has cool decorative work made of terracotta. Terracotta is a type of baked clay. There are also pointed decorations called finials on the corners. You can find similar terracotta designs in other places on the building. The back of the building has the same fancy decorations as the front.
The first level of the tower on the third floor is part of the original design. The next two levels were added during the 1890 extension. The very top two sections of the tower are also from the original design. The newer part added to the back of the building is also red brick. It has a simpler, more practical style.
