Audubon County Court House
Encyclopedia
The Audubon County Court House in Audubon, Iowa
, United States
was built in 1940. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places
in 2003 as a part of the PWA-Era County Courthouses of IA Multiple Properties Submission. The courthouse is the third building the county has used for court functions and county administration.
and a fight ensued as to where the county seat should be located. An 1871 appropriation for a new courthouse was held up because of the disagreement. Exira eventually won out and a courthouse was constructed for about $2,200. The county seat was again moved in 1879 to Audubon. The county secured $7,000 in 1884 to build a new courthouse. The 44 by 100 foot building featured a central tower. It was demolished in 1939 to make way for the current structure.
In July 1938 a citizens group encouraged the county board of supervisors to apply for funding from the Public Works Administration
, or PWA, to build a new courthouse. The grant was approved in August of the same year and a referendum was passed by voters the following month. Des Moines
architects Keffer & Jones designed the new building. Construction bids came in well below the estimates and so the bonds were sold at a lower interest rate. The PWA grant was amended to include a new jail in the building. A 96 year old Civil War
veteran turned the first shovelful of dirt to start construction. J.C. Mayer of Clarion, Iowa
was awarded the contract to build the building in December 1938. The building was constructed for $133,000. The courtroom was first used on February 15, 1940 and county offices were opened in the building a short time later. The dedication ceremony was held on June 11, 1940. The celebration included a parade, baseball games and a county historical pageant. The keynote address was given by Dr. Thomas Niven of First Presbyterian Church in Omaha, Nebraska
.
with a central section of two stories that is flanked by two lower sections. It is built over a raised basement. The exterior is composed of buff colored brick and Bedford limestone
trim. On the interior the central corridors extend the length of the building. Vaults
were built into the corners of the structure with the county offices opening onto the corridor. The interior featured multi-colored terrazzo
floors, marble wainscoting and acoustic tile. Originally, the courtroom was decorated in dark wood tones and Art Deco
ornamentation.
Audubon, Iowa
-2010 census:The 2010 census recorded a population of 2,176 in the city, with a population density of . There were 1,106 housing units, of which 961 were occupied....
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
was built in 1940. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
in 2003 as a part of the PWA-Era County Courthouses of IA Multiple Properties Submission. The courthouse is the third building the county has used for court functions and county administration.
History
After the county was established in 1851 court was originally held in a schoolhouse in Hamlin’s Grove. Ten years later the county seat was relocated to ExiraExira, Iowa
Exira is a city in Audubon County, Iowa, United States, along the East Nishnabotna River and U.S. Route 71. The population was 810 at the 2000 census.-History:The oldest town in Audubon County, Exira was founded in 1857...
and a fight ensued as to where the county seat should be located. An 1871 appropriation for a new courthouse was held up because of the disagreement. Exira eventually won out and a courthouse was constructed for about $2,200. The county seat was again moved in 1879 to Audubon. The county secured $7,000 in 1884 to build a new courthouse. The 44 by 100 foot building featured a central tower. It was demolished in 1939 to make way for the current structure.
In July 1938 a citizens group encouraged the county board of supervisors to apply for funding from the Public Works Administration
Public Works Administration
The Public Works Administration , part of the New Deal of 1933, was a large-scale public works construction agency in the United States headed by Secretary of the Interior Harold L. Ickes. It was created by the National Industrial Recovery Act in June 1933 in response to the Great Depression...
, or PWA, to build a new courthouse. The grant was approved in August of the same year and a referendum was passed by voters the following month. Des Moines
Des Moines, Iowa
Des Moines is the capital and the most populous city in the US state of Iowa. It is also the county seat of Polk County. A small portion of the city extends into Warren County. It was incorporated on September 22, 1851, as Fort Des Moines which was shortened to "Des Moines" in 1857...
architects Keffer & Jones designed the new building. Construction bids came in well below the estimates and so the bonds were sold at a lower interest rate. The PWA grant was amended to include a new jail in the building. A 96 year old Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
veteran turned the first shovelful of dirt to start construction. J.C. Mayer of Clarion, Iowa
Clarion, Iowa
Clarion is a city in and the county seat of Wright County, Iowa, United States. The population was 2,968 at the 2000 census.Clarion is the birthplace of the four-leaf clover emblem used by the 4-H Clubs of America, conceived of in 1907 by the local school superintendent, O.H...
was awarded the contract to build the building in December 1938. The building was constructed for $133,000. The courtroom was first used on February 15, 1940 and county offices were opened in the building a short time later. The dedication ceremony was held on June 11, 1940. The celebration included a parade, baseball games and a county historical pageant. The keynote address was given by Dr. Thomas Niven of First Presbyterian Church in Omaha, Nebraska
Omaha, Nebraska
Omaha is the largest city in the state of Nebraska, United States, and is the county seat of Douglas County. It is located in the Midwestern United States on the Missouri River, about 20 miles north of the mouth of the Platte River...
.
Architecture
The architectural style of the building is known as Depression Modern or PWA Moderne. The building features a symmetrical façadeFacade
A facade or façade is generally one exterior side of a building, usually, but not always, the front. The word comes from the French language, literally meaning "frontage" or "face"....
with a central section of two stories that is flanked by two lower sections. It is built over a raised basement. The exterior is composed of buff colored brick and Bedford limestone
Indiana Limestone
Indiana Limestone, also known as Bedford Limestone is a common regional term for Salem limestone, a geological formation primarily quarried in south central Indiana between Bloomington and Bedford....
trim. On the interior the central corridors extend the length of the building. Vaults
Bank vault
A bank vault is a secure space where money, valuables, records, and documents can be stored. It is intended to protect their contents from theft, unauthorized use, fire, natural disasters, and other threats, just like a safe...
were built into the corners of the structure with the county offices opening onto the corridor. The interior featured multi-colored terrazzo
Terrazzo
Terrazzo is a composite material poured in place or precast, which is used for floor and wall treatments. It consists of marble, quartz, granite, glass or other suitable chips, sprinkled or unsprinkled, and poured with a binder that is cementitious, chemical or a combination of both...
floors, marble wainscoting and acoustic tile. Originally, the courtroom was decorated in dark wood tones and Art Deco
Art Deco
Art deco , or deco, is an eclectic artistic and design style that began in Paris in the 1920s and flourished internationally throughout the 1930s, into the World War II era. The style influenced all areas of design, including architecture and interior design, industrial design, fashion and...
ornamentation.