Clayton County Courthouse
Encyclopedia
The Clayton County Courthouse, located in Elkader, Iowa
, United States
, was built in 1878. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places
in 1976 as a part of the County Courthouses in Iowa Thematic Resource. The courthouse is the second building the county has used for court functions and county administration.
moved several times between 1840 and 1876. It was located first in Prairie La Porte, then Jacksonville, which was followed by Garnavillo
, Elkader and Guttenberg
. Eventually Elkader won the right to be the county seat. The first courthouse for the county was built in Garnavillo and it was sold in 1866 to raise money for a new courthouse in Elkader. The board of supervisors was only willing to spend $2,000 a year to build the new structure. Because there was yet another contest in the works to consider the location of the county seat, the county and the town of Elkader came up with $10,000 to build the new courthouse. It is an Italianate style structure that was designed by O.F. Davis. The building was constructed in red brick, and the clock tower was added at a later date. The Civil War
Monument was added to the grounds in 1919.
Elkader, Iowa
Elkader is a city in Clayton County, Iowa, United States. The population was 1,465 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Clayton County.-History:The city is named after Algerian leader Abd al-Qadir al-Jaza'iri...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, was built in 1878. 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 1976 as a part of the County Courthouses in Iowa Thematic Resource. The courthouse is the second building the county has used for court functions and county administration.
History
The county seat in Clayton CountyClayton County, Iowa
-2010 census:The 2010 census recorded a population of 18,129 in the county, with a population density of . There were 8,999 housing units, of which 7,599 were occupied.-2000 census:...
moved several times between 1840 and 1876. It was located first in Prairie La Porte, then Jacksonville, which was followed by Garnavillo
Garnavillo, Iowa
Garnavillo is a city in Clayton County, Iowa, United States. The population was 754 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Garnavillo is located at .According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of , all of it land....
, Elkader and Guttenberg
Guttenberg, Iowa
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 1,987 people, 837 households, and 534 families residing in the city. The population density was 962.3 people per square mile . There were 935 housing units at an average density of 452.8 per square mile...
. Eventually Elkader won the right to be the county seat. The first courthouse for the county was built in Garnavillo and it was sold in 1866 to raise money for a new courthouse in Elkader. The board of supervisors was only willing to spend $2,000 a year to build the new structure. Because there was yet another contest in the works to consider the location of the county seat, the county and the town of Elkader came up with $10,000 to build the new courthouse. It is an Italianate style structure that was designed by O.F. Davis. The building was constructed in red brick, and the clock tower was added at a later date. The 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...
Monument was added to the grounds in 1919.