Scott County Courthouse

Scott County's first Courthouse was housed in the Women's Christian Temperance Union building at 210 S. Main Street (Stop #11 on the Scott City Historic Walking Tour). The W.C.T.U. rented the ground level to the county for $25 a month until a new two-story frame building was built on the courthouse square in 1888. It stood northeast of where the current courthouse stands today.

The land where the present courthouse stands was purchased on July 15, 1885 for $200 by Ida L. Eastman, Maria DeGeer's daughter, from the U.S. Government. A few days later, that land was then sold to the Scott City Company for $4,000. The Company dedicated block 22 of their original plat to the public as a courthouse square on September 18, 1885. The first courthouse was located on the NE corner in 1888.

During a Commissioners' meeting on July 7, 1924, a petition signed by 814 legal voters of Scott County was approved, calling for the erecting of a courthouse to be built in the county sear to a cost not to exceed $100,000. Bids were to be filed by August 12, 1924. A general contract was approved from Henderson and Riggs of Larned, Kansas to build, equip and furnish the present day Scott County Courthouse for $67,250.

The cornerstone was laid on November 11, 1924. A newspaper clipping from July 1925 read the following: “The old County Court House goes up for bid this week. Many tears will be shed. Not in grief for the edifice itself, but for the many memories. Particularly the jurymen who have laid on the floor, benches or what not night after night while their fellow colleagues argued with some stubborn fellow in an effort to get a verdict. Most of the offices will be moved into the new Court House by the end of this month.”

Over the years, the Scott County Courthouse has housed the library, sheriff’s offices, extension office, and county welfare offices in addition to the judicial offices, county clerks, treasurer, appraisers, and county attorney office. It has undergone many renovations with the most recent restoration adding handicap accessibility.

Scott County Historical Society. History of Early Scott County. Edition 1. Volume 1. Scott City, Kansas. Scott County Historical Society, 1977.

Scott County Historical Society. Scott County Kansas, 1886-1986 Centennial. Edition 1. Volume 1. Scott City, Kansas. Scott County Centennial Commission, Inc., 1986.

Lawrence, Deb. Scott County Courthouse, Scott City History - Now & Then. December 27th 2016. Accessed May 11th 2021. https://www.facebook.com/groups/337658763076204/permalink/673591136149630.