Sac County Courthouse
Introduction
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A fine example of Romanesque architecture, the Sac County Courthouse has served as the seat of county government since its construction in 1889. It was built of red brick and notable features include horizontal bands of stone trim that run around windows and a large stone arch where the main entrance used to be. The courthouse was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1981.
Images
The Sac County Courthouse is the third courthouse to serve the county. It was built in 1889, a year after a fire destroyed the previous one.
Backstory and Context
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The first county courthouse was built in 1860 at a cost of $10,000. It was two-stories tall and built of brick. The courtroom was on the second floor and featured woodwork and a thirteen foot-tall ceiling. The second courthouse, a larger brick building, was erected in 1873. It was only used until 1888 when a fire set by an arsonist destroyed it on October 3 (the arsonist was apprehended and spent 12 years in prison). The present courthouse was built in its place at a cost of $30,000, half of which was paid by insurance. It has remained largely unaltered except for a tower that was removed in 1900.
Sources
"Sac County Courthouse." Iowa Judicial Branch. Accessed October 22, 2022. https://www.iowacourts.gov/for-the-public/educational-resources-and-services/iowa-courts-history/iowa-county-courthouse-history/sac-county-courthouse.
"Sac County Courthouse." Iowa Site Inventory Form - Iowa State Historical Department. May 29, 1981. https://npgallery.nps.gov/NRHP/GetAsset/NRHP/81000268_text.