The Van Buren County Courthouse located in

Keosauqua, Iowa Keosauqua ( ) is a city in Van Buren County, Iowa, United States. The population was 936 at the time of the 2020 census. It is the county seat of Van Buren County. History Keosauqua was laid out in 1839. The word Keosauqua derives from the Me ...

, United States, was built in 1843. It was listed on the

National Register of Historic Places The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the United States federal government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures and objects deemed worthy of preservation for their historical significance or "great artistic v ...

in 1977 as a part of the County Courthouses in Iowa Thematic Resource. It is the only building the county has used as its courthouse, and it is the oldest courthouse in Iowa. In 1845 the courthouse served as the location for a trial resulting in the first death penalty in Iowa history.

History

Van Buren County was established on December 7, 1836. The first meeting of the county court and officials was held the following spring in

Farmington, Iowa Farmington is a city in Van Buren County, Iowa, Van Buren County, Iowa, United States. The population was 579 at the time of the 2020 United States Census, 2020 census. History Farmington was laid out in 1839. It was named after Farmington, Conn ...

. However, the Wisconsin territorial legislature—which Iowa was a part of until 1838—changed the county seat to the village of Rochester in December, 1837. Territorial Governor

Henry Dodge Moses Henry Dodge (October 12, 1782 – June 19, 1867) was a Democratic member to the U.S. House of Representatives and U.S. Senate, Territorial Governor of Wisconsin and a veteran of the Black Hawk War. His son, Augustus C. Dodge, served as a ...

vetoed the change so an election was held in 1838 to settle the matter. The voters chose Keosauqua, which was then required to supply $5,000 in materials and land for the construction of a county courthouse. The Van Buren County commissioners accepted a bid of $6,500 from James Hall and John Fairman on May 30, 1840, for construction of the courthouse, with Sewall Kenny and Henry King named as building agents. However, early the following January the commissioners relieved the agents of their duties and named Edwin Manning to finish the construction. This was done in September 1843 at a final cost of $6,712 dollars. Edwin Manning would later build the Hotel Manning in Keosauqua, also listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Architecture

The finished

Greek Revival The Greek Revival was an architectural movement which began in the middle of the 18th century but which particularly flourished in the late 18th and early 19th centuries, predominantly in northern Europe and the United States and Canada, but ...

-style building was one of the largest west of the

Mississippi River The Mississippi River is the second-longest river and chief river of the second-largest drainage system in North America, second only to the Hudson Bay drainage system. From its traditional source of Lake Itasca in northern Minnesota, it f ...

for that time period. The style is also typical of Iowa's pre-

Civil War A civil war or intrastate war is a war between organized groups within the same state (or country). The aim of one side may be to take control of the country or a region, to achieve independence for a region, or to change government policies ...

courthouses. The framework of the courthouse was constructed of native

oak An oak is a tree or shrub in the genus ''Quercus'' (; Latin "oak tree") of the beech family, Fagaceae. There are approximately 500 extant species of oaks. The common name "oak" also appears in the names of species in related genera, notably ''L ...

from the area as well as locally manufactured brick for the exterior. Iron truss rods were installed in the building to provide further strength. The exterior walls are thick on the first floor and on the second floor. Locally harvested

walnut A walnut is the edible seed of a drupe of any tree of the genus ''Juglans'' (family Juglandaceae), particularly the Persian or English walnut, '' Juglans regia''. Although culinarily considered a "nut" and used as such, it is not a true ...

completed most of the interior, trim, and two circular staircases. Originally the courthouse included a square tower rising another above the second floor however it was removed in the mid-1800s. The circular walnut staircases were also removed and replaced by the single one presently in use.

The courthouse today

Still in use, the Van Buren County courthouse received a major interior restoration over a two-year period between 1981 and 1983, improving safety while preserving much of the original look and feel. The exterior of the building was renovated in 1997 and included a ramp to comply with the

Americans with Disabilities Act The Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 or ADA () is a civil rights law that prohibits discrimination based on disability. It affords similar protections against discrimination to Americans with disabilities as the Civil Rights Act of 1964 ...

. While still serving as an active courtroom, the building also features historical displays, photos of former judges, portraits, and maps. The county office building, located south of the courthouse, is also well over a century old having been constructed in 1896.

References

{{NRHP in Van Buren County, Iowa Government buildings completed in 1843 Keosauqua, Iowa Greek Revival architecture in Iowa Buildings and structures in Van Buren County, Iowa Courthouses on the National Register of Historic Places in Iowa County courthouses in Iowa 1843 establishments in Iowa Territory National Register of Historic Places in Van Buren County, Iowa