Monona County Courthouse facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Monona County Courthouse
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 Location in Iowa
Location in the United States
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| Location | Iowa Ave. Onawa, Iowa |
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| Area | less than one acre |
| Built | 1892 |
| Built by | P.H. Wind |
| Architect | S.E. Maxon |
| Architectural style | Romanesque |
| MPS | County Courthouses in Iowa TR |
| NRHP reference No. | 81000257 |
| Added to NRHP | July 2, 1981 |
The Monona County Courthouse is a very important building in Onawa, Iowa, United States. It was built way back in 1892. This courthouse is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. This means it's recognized as a special historical site. It's the third building that Monona County has used for its court and government work.
A Look Back: The Courthouse Story
The first main town for Monona County was Ashton. This town was called the "county seat." A county seat is the town where the main government offices are. In 1855, Onawa became the new county seat. The county offices were first in a building called Mechanics’ Hall.
To make sure Onawa stayed the county seat, the people of the town raised money. They collected $12,500 to build a courthouse. After Onawa won a challenge against another town, East Mapleton, a new courthouse was finished in 1858. This building cost $7,000 to build.
The courthouse you see today was built in 1892. It was designed in a style called Romanesque Revival. An architect named S.E. Maxon from Omaha designed it. The builder was P.H. Wind from Council Bluffs. This courthouse looks a lot like the Adair County Courthouse, which Maxon also designed.
Building Style: What It Looks Like
The Monona County Courthouse is a two-and-a-half-story building. It is made of red brick with stone decorations. A square brick tower with a pointed, pyramid-shaped roof stands in the middle. The main entrance is on the south side. It has a wide arch with stone trim. This arch is like a fancy doorway.
Above the main entrance, there is a large arched window. Three smaller windows are on the third floor above it. The building also has decorative metal panels. These are found in the triangular parts of the roof (called gables) and in the windows that stick out from the roof (called dormers). Long ago, the outside of the building was painted yellow with white trim.
Later, small additions were built onto three sides of the building. The entire building is topped with a sloped roof that goes down on all sides (a hip roof). Inside, the courthouse has a special Murton tile floor. There is also a beautiful wooden staircase. This courthouse is important because it shows the history of county government. It also represents the power and importance of Onawa as the county seat.
