Winnebago County Courthouse (Iowa) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Winnebago County Courthouse
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 Location in Iowa
Location in the United States
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| Location | J St. Forest City, Iowa |
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| Area | less than one acre |
| Built | 1894-1896 |
| Built by | Martin Bumgardner |
| Architect | Kinney & Orth |
| Architectural style | Romanesque |
| MPS | County Courthouses in Iowa TR |
| NRHP reference No. | 81000275 |
| Added to NRHP | July 02, 1981 |
The Winnebago County Courthouse in Forest City, Iowa, United States, is a very old and important building. It still serves as the main courthouse for the county today. This special building was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1981. This means it's recognized as a significant historical place in the country.
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Building the Winnebago County Courthouse
The story of the Winnebago County Courthouse is quite interesting! Back in the early days of Winnebago County, it's hard to know exactly where court meetings happened. Many early county records were lost in a big fire in 1861.
People in the county wanted a proper courthouse. They asked for a building that would cost about $20,000. However, not much work was done on this first plan. The county leaders, called the Board of Supervisors, thought the plans were too fancy and expensive.
Instead, they decided to build a smaller, cheaper building. This caused some disagreements, but eventually, a new plan for a courthouse moved forward. The beautiful building you see today was finished in 1896. It cost around $25,000 to build.
Who Designed and Built It?
The courthouse was designed by an architect named F.W. Kinney. He was from a company called Kinney & Orth in Minneapolis. The main builders were Martin Bumgardner and F.A. Gross. People in the local community helped raise money to pay for the building. Later, in 2002, a new part was added to the west side of the courthouse.
What Does the Courthouse Look Like?
The Winnebago County Courthouse is a two-story building made of light brown bricks. The very bottom part, called the basement level, is made of rough stone.
Main Entrance and Tower
One of the most interesting parts of the building is its main entrance. It's set back a bit, hidden behind three large arches. These arches give the building a grand look.
On the northeast corner of the building, there's a tall, square clock tower. This tower rises five stories high! The building has a sloped roof, called a hipped roof. However, some parts of the building that stick out on three corners have pyramid-shaped roofs. The very top of the clock tower's roof has been made shorter over time.
Why Is This Building Important?
The courthouse is important because it's where the county government works. It shows the power and importance of Forest City as the main town, or county seat, for Winnebago County. It's a symbol of local government and justice.
