Van Buren County Court House

WHITAKER, MCCRARY, MILLS, KENNY, KING, MANNING, KNAPP

Posted By: Gloria Dodds (email)
Date: 11/2/2002 at 02:04:45

Thursday, August 15, 1935 The Keosauqua Republican Page Forty-One 80 year Anniversary 1855-1935

Van Buren County Court House,
Iowa's Oldest Public Building---1842

History Of Court House

The Van Buren County Court House, erected in 1842, is the oldest public building still in use in the state. Located at Keosauqua, this building was built on a hill overlooking the Des Moines river. Since September 10, 1843, it has given continuous service for judicial purposes.
Soon after Keosauqua was established the seat of
justice of Van Buren county, at an election held on September 10, 1838, plans were made for a court house. On July 8, 1840, the County Board of Commissioners composed of John Whitaker, James McCrary and Josiah Mills ordered "that the court house be located on the public square on the northwest side of the public square 20 feet from the northwest line of the public square at equal distance from each corner of said square, and the end of said house to be placed fronting the Des Moines River." On April 20, 1840, Sewall Kenny and Henry King had been appointed building agents for the building of the Court House, the cost of which was to be $6500. On January 7, 1841, the County Commissioners ordered that "the appointment of Sewall Kenny and Henry King as building agents be rescinded." Later the contract was transferred to Edwin Manning "in which he accepted the note of the Commissioners for $1,712 at 15 per cent interest and $5000 'in bonds and mortages' which he and other proprietors of the town had put up as an inducement for the location of the county seat at Keosauqua."
The construction work dragged along, and was finally completed early in the fall of 1843. At the time of its erection this two-story, brick court house was one of the largest and most beautiful structures in Iowa.
During war times the tower which surmounted the building at the time of its erection, was taken off, and the present stairway took the place of the two solid walnut spiral stairways built in the court house. According to Carl Bell, local contractor,the frame work of the tower is still standing up as high as the roof.
The walls of the first story were build 22 inches thick, and those of the second story 18 ins., and built of solid brick. The timbers of the building are solid oak, and are more than a foot square.
Mr. Bell, who recently repaired parts of the Court House says that the building is framed with heavy oak timbers much like the modern building of today is framed with steel; the inside finish is of walnut. There are two large trusses made of heavy oak timbers, over the court room to support the roof.
The walnut wood used in this building was obtained
from trees growing within a hundred rods of the court house.
The court room or auditorium was, for several years the largest in the state unbroken by columns and pillars. The interior of this room was completed under the direction of Judge J.C. Knapp in July, 1851.
For more than three generations this room had remained practically unchanged.