Decatur County Courthouse (Iowa)
Encyclopedia
The Decatur County Courthouse, located in Leon, Iowa
, United States
, was built in 1908. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places
in 1981 as a part of the County Courthouses in Iowa Thematic Resource. The courthouse is the sixth building the county has used for court functions and county administration.
was a log structure built in Leon in for $375. The county soon outgrew the building and it was replaced by a small structure that was declared unusable soon after it was built. The next courthouse was destroyed in a windstorm before it was finished, and a fire destroyed the fourth courthouse along with the county records. The fifth courthouse was a brick structure that was built for $20,000. Thieves attempted to open the Treasurer’s safe and when they set off explosives they blew up that side of the building, but were unable to crack the safe. The building was rebuilt and served as the county courthouse until the present building was opened in 1908. Iron, stone, steel, tile, brick, marble and granite were all used in its construction.
Leon, Iowa
Leon is a city in Decatur County, Iowa, United States. The population was 1,983 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Decatur County.The city is located near the Little River Lake Recreation Area...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, was built in 1908. 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 1981 as a part of the County Courthouses in Iowa Thematic Resource. The courthouse is the sixth building the county has used for court functions and county administration.
History
The first courthouse in Decatur CountyDecatur County, Iowa
-2010 census:The 2010 census recorded a population of 8,457 in the county, with a population density of . There were 3,834 housing units, of which 3,223 were occupied.-2000 census:...
was a log structure built in Leon in for $375. The county soon outgrew the building and it was replaced by a small structure that was declared unusable soon after it was built. The next courthouse was destroyed in a windstorm before it was finished, and a fire destroyed the fourth courthouse along with the county records. The fifth courthouse was a brick structure that was built for $20,000. Thieves attempted to open the Treasurer’s safe and when they set off explosives they blew up that side of the building, but were unable to crack the safe. The building was rebuilt and served as the county courthouse until the present building was opened in 1908. Iron, stone, steel, tile, brick, marble and granite were all used in its construction.