Benton County Courthouse (Iowa)
Encyclopedia
The Benton County Courthouse, located in Vinton, Iowa
, United States
, was built in 1906. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places
in 1976 as a part of the County Courthouses in Iowa Thematic Resource. The courthouse is the fourth building the county has used for court functions and county administration.
first courthouse was a log structure, but it did not have a roof or floor, so the court met in a log home during inclement weather. Because of a dispute over the location of the county seat the second courthouse stood unfinished until 1852, and was destroyed in a fire the following year. The county’s third courthouse was dedicated in December 1856. It was built for $13,000. The present courthouse was completed in 1906 for $105,000.
.
Vinton, Iowa
-2010 census:The 2010 census recorded a population of 5,257 in the city, with a population density of . There were 2,299 housing units, of which 2,187 were occupied....
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, was built in 1906. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
in 1976 as a part of the County Courthouses in Iowa Thematic Resource. The courthouse is the fourth building the county has used for court functions and county administration.
History
Benton County’sBenton County, Iowa
-2010 census:The 2010 census recorded a population of 26,076 in the county, with a population density of . There were 11,095 housing units, of which 10,302 were occupied.-2000 census:...
first courthouse was a log structure, but it did not have a roof or floor, so the court met in a log home during inclement weather. Because of a dispute over the location of the county seat the second courthouse stood unfinished until 1852, and was destroyed in a fire the following year. The county’s third courthouse was dedicated in December 1856. It was built for $13,000. The present courthouse was completed in 1906 for $105,000.
Architecture
The Beaux Arts style building features a 112 foot (34 m) tall central tower. It contains an illuminated clock, a 1,500 pound (680.4 kg) B-flat bell and it is topped with a dome. The exterior of the building is clad in Buckeye gray sandstoneSandstone
Sandstone is a sedimentary rock composed mainly of sand-sized minerals or rock grains.Most sandstone is composed of quartz and/or feldspar because these are the most common minerals in the Earth's crust. Like sand, sandstone may be any colour, but the most common colours are tan, brown, yellow,...
.