The Harrison County Courthouse, located in Logan, Iowa, United States, was built in 1911. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1981 as a part of the County Courthouses in Iowa Thematic Resource. The courthouse is the fifth building the county has used for court functions and county administration.
History
The first county seat in Harrison County was Magnolia. A log cabin served as the first courthouse. It was destroyed in a fire along with the county records. A second courthouse was built in 1854. The county raised the funds for its construction by selling town lots. The building was condemned as unsafe in 1873, and the county’s third courthouse was built the same year. It served the county for three years until Logan was named the county seat.
The first courthouse in Logan was built in 1876 for $14,000. An appropriation of $5,000 came from the county and $9,000 was donated from the people of Logan. Yeisley & Stowell were the contractors that built the building. The two-story brick structure measure 55 by 70 feet. Offices for the county Auditor, Treasurer, Clerk, Recorder, Sheriff and School Superintendent were on the first floor. The second floor contained the court room and jury rooms.
Plans for the present courthouse were begun in 1905. The cornerstone was laid on October 5, 1910 and it was dedicated on November 3, 1911. It was built at a cost of $103,205.15.
Architecture
The Classical Revival building was designed by Joseph E. Mills. The three-story building measures 68 by 96 feet. The top of the dome is 77 feet (23.5 m) above the street. It is constructed in steel and concrete block and faced in Bedford stone. Four murals were placed in the main stairway during a redecorating program in 1920. They are the work of Frank Enders of Milwaukee, Wisconsin. They were all done on canvas that was attached to the wall. The murals portray: the old courthouse in Magnolia, the first courthouse in Logan, a horn of plenty theme and Lady Justice.
See also
- Old Harrison County Courthouse (Iowa), Magnolia, which is also listed on the National Register of Historic Places
References
