Chickasaw County Courthouse (Iowa)

The Chickasaw County Courthouse is a historic governmental building located at 8 East Prospect Street in New Hampton, Iowa, United States. On July 2, 1981, it was added to the National Register of Historic Places.[1] The courthouse is the fourth structure to house court functions and county administration.

Chickasaw County Courthouse
U.S. National Register of Historic Places
Chickasaw County Courthouse in 2009
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Location	Prospect St. at Locust Ave., New Hampton, Iowa
Coordinates	43°9′36″N 92°18′49″W
Area	less than one acre
Built	1929-1930
Architect	Ralston & Ralston
Architectural style	Streamline Moderne Art Deco Stripped Classicism
MPS	County Courthouses in Iowa TR
NRHP reference No.	81000228[1]
Added to NRHP	July 02, 1981

History

Bradford was established as the first county seat for Chickasaw County in 1854, and a log structure was built for a courthouse. One of the first functions in the new building was to move the county seat to the more centrally located town of New Hampton, which was finalized in 1857. The following year people in the southern part of the county objected and suggested a place such as Forest City, different from the Forest City in Winnebago County, was a better location. An election was held and once again the decision was made to move the county seat. However, it was discovered that the poll book had bee tampered with and the decision was fought in the courts with New Hampton being the eventual winner. The first courthouse there, a frame structure, was not completed until 1865. A four-room brick addition was built in 1876. The courthouse was destroyed in a fire on March 26, 1880, but the records were saved. The people in New Hampton contributed $5,000 for a new courthouse so as to keep the county seat in the city.[2] The brick and stone structure was completed in 1881 for $10,500. It featured a clock tower that rose above the main facade. Two wings were added to the building in 1905 and 1906 for about $4,200 each.[3]

The present courthouse was built from 1929 to 1930. It was designed by the Waterloo, Iowa architectural firm of Ralston & Ralston. Its style is Stripped Classicism that is strongly influenced by the Moderne and the Art Deco styles.[4] It was constructed of Bedford stone for about $134,000.[3] Its significance is derived from its association with county government, and the political power and prestige of New Hampton as the county seat.[4]

References

1. "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. March 13, 2009.
2. "Chickasaw County Courthouse". Iowa Judicial Branch. Retrieved 2015-12-29.
3. Stanek, Edward and Jacqueline (1976). Iowa's Magnificent County Courthouses. Des Moines: Wallace-Homestead. p. 44. ISBN 0-87069-189-9.
4. M.H. Bowers. "Chickasaw County Courthouse". National Park Service. Retrieved 2018-08-09. with photo