Benton County Courthouse

Situated in a public square in downtown Vinton, Benton County Courthouse is perhaps the most prominent landmark in the city. It was built in 1906 in a streamlined version of the Beaux Arts style. It features a 112-foot clock tower topped by a dome, central pavilions on the north and south facades with pediments and two large arches (one for the entrance and the other for a window), and side pavilions also located on the north and south sides of the building. The courthouse is also historically significant for its role as the center of political affairs in the county.

Named after Missouri Senator and War of 1812 colonel Thomas Hart Benton, Benton County was established on December 21, 1837. The town of Vinton, which was originally known as Northport, was founded in 1846 and named the county seat. The first courthouse was a small, two-story wood-frame building in the process of being constructed beginning in 1851 before it was destroyed by a fire in 1853. The second one, a small two-story brick structure, was built in 1857 and used until the present one was erected in 1906. The previous courthouses were located on the same site. The Benton County Courthouse was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1876.

"County Information." Benton County. Accessed September 1, 2021. https://www.bentoncountyia.gov/county-information/default.aspx.

Strawn, Olive. "Benton County Courthouse." National Park Service - National Register of Historic Places Nomination Form. October 8, 1976. https://npgallery.nps.gov/NRHP/GetAsset/NRHP/76000733_text