Polk County Courthouse (Iowa)
Encyclopedia
The Polk County Courthouse in Des Moines
, Iowa
, United States
was built in 1906. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places
in 1979 as a part of the County Courthouses in Iowa Thematic Resource. The courthouse is the third building the county has used for court functions and county administration.
built its first courthouse in 1847 for $2,015. The building, which was constructed of brick, measured 26 by 52 feet. It was sold to a church for $800. The second courthouse was built in 1858 for $94,000. The two-story building featured a dome. An addition was made to the building at a later date.
The present courthouse was built in 1906 on the same square as the previous courthouse. It was built for $750,000 in the Beaux-Arts style. It was designed by the Des Moines architectural firm of Proudfoot & Bird
. The original columns, stairways and walls were constructed in marble. Murals on the fourth floor were painted by Charles A. Cummings and Edward Simmons
.
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...
, Iowa
Iowa
Iowa is a state located in the Midwestern United States, an area often referred to as the "American Heartland". It derives its name from the Ioway people, one of the many American Indian tribes that occupied the state at the time of European exploration. Iowa was a part of the French colony of New...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
was built in 1906. 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 1979 as a part of the County Courthouses in Iowa Thematic Resource. The courthouse is the third building the county has used for court functions and county administration.
History
Polk CountyPolk County, Iowa
Polk County is a county located in the U.S. state of Iowa. The population was 430,640 in the 2010 census, an increase from 374,601 in the 2000 census. The county seat is Des Moines, which is also the capital city of Iowa...
built its first courthouse in 1847 for $2,015. The building, which was constructed of brick, measured 26 by 52 feet. It was sold to a church for $800. The second courthouse was built in 1858 for $94,000. The two-story building featured a dome. An addition was made to the building at a later date.
The present courthouse was built in 1906 on the same square as the previous courthouse. It was built for $750,000 in the Beaux-Arts style. It was designed by the Des Moines architectural firm of Proudfoot & Bird
Proudfoot & Bird
Proudfoot & Bird et al. was an American architectural firm or partnership that designed many buildings in the U.S. midwest. Partners included Willis Thomas Proudfoot and George Washington Bird and Harry Dustan Rawson...
. The original columns, stairways and walls were constructed in marble. Murals on the fourth floor were painted by Charles A. Cummings and Edward Simmons
Edward Simmons (painter)
Edward Emerson Simmons was an American Impressionist painter, remembered for his mural work. He was born in Concord, Massachusetts, the son of a Unitarian minister....
.