Montgomery County Courthouse

The Montgomery County Courthouse is one of the finest examples of Romanesque architecture in Iowa. It was constructed in 1891 and continues to serve as the seat of county government. Built of rusticated limestone and red brick, the courthouse features turrets, finials, and towers, including the large clock tower on the southeast corner. The courthouse is also significant as the center of the county government. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1981.

The county seat was first located in the town of Frankfort. The "court" was located in the dining room in a log house built in 1856. Apparently, juries deliberated outside. At some point in the following years, a two-story courthouse was erected. In 1863, county residents voted in favor of moving the county seat to Red Oak and occurred in June of the next year. A new courthouse was not built in Red Oak; the 1863 courthouse was, in fact, pulled to the town by oxen through a blizzard. When the movers were about halfway to Red Oak they were forced to unhitch the oxen and let the courthouse, which was on sleds, be blown in the wind. Some time later after the storm had passed it was found on a homestead two miles away. Eventually the courthouse became too small for the growing county. Construction on the present building began on July 4, 1890 and was finished the next year.

"Montgomery County Courthouse." Iowa Judicial Branch. Accessed January 21, 2022. https://www.iowacourts.gov/for-the-public/educational-resources-and-services/iowa-courts-history/iowa-county-courthouse-history/montgomery-county-courthouse.

"Montgomery County Courthouse." Iowa State Inventory Form - Iowa State Historical Department. July 2, 1981. https://npgallery.nps.gov/NRHP/GetAsset/NRHP/81000259_text.