Jasper County Courthouse (Newton, Iowa)
Encyclopedia
The Jasper County Courthouse in Newton, Iowa
is a building from 1909. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places
in 1981.
and brick
s for a total cost of $26,600. First dedicated in 1911, the third and current courthouse still stands. The current courthouse is built out of limestone except for the doors and window casings which are built out of wood. American general and Iowa politician James B. Weaver wrote of the current courthouse in the 1912 county history, "long after the pages of this county history are worn and turned yellow with age, in all human probability this building will stand in all its massive beauty". The Jasper County Medical Society held their annual meetings at the courthouse.
. There was a renovation of the courthouse in 1986 that fixed the interior and involved the dome and paintings. The current governor of Iowa Terry Branstad visited the courthouse for its 100th anniversary on July 4, 2011. People have said that the courthouse is "the most beautiful county capitol in Iowa".
Newton, Iowa
Newton is a city in and the county seat of Jasper County, Iowa, United States. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 15,254. It is the home of Maytag Dairy Farms and was formerly home to the Maytag Corporation's corporate headquarters until the Whirlpool Corporation acquired it in 2006...
is a building from 1909. 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.
History
Court was first held in 1846 at someone's log cabin while the first courthouse was built with lumber in 1847 that was 18 by 30 feet and cost a total of $87.50 to build. It was later moved to a farm close to Newton. A second courthouse was built in 1857 out of limestoneLimestone
Limestone is a sedimentary rock composed largely of the minerals calcite and aragonite, which are different crystal forms of calcium carbonate . Many limestones are composed from skeletal fragments of marine organisms such as coral or foraminifera....
and brick
Brick
A brick is a block of ceramic material used in masonry construction, usually laid using various kinds of mortar. It has been regarded as one of the longest lasting and strongest building materials used throughout history.-History:...
s for a total cost of $26,600. First dedicated in 1911, the third and current courthouse still stands. The current courthouse is built out of limestone except for the doors and window casings which are built out of wood. American general and Iowa politician James B. Weaver wrote of the current courthouse in the 1912 county history, "long after the pages of this county history are worn and turned yellow with age, in all human probability this building will stand in all its massive beauty". The Jasper County Medical Society held their annual meetings at the courthouse.
Current courthouse
The courthouse stands 121 by 80 feet with a 140 foot tower with a clock. The clock was created with the help of private donations. The interior has ceramic tile and marble and the outside of the building is decorated during ChristmasChristmas
Christmas or Christmas Day is an annual holiday generally celebrated on December 25 by billions of people around the world. It is a Christian feast that commemorates the birth of Jesus Christ, liturgically closing the Advent season and initiating the season of Christmastide, which lasts twelve days...
. There was a renovation of the courthouse in 1986 that fixed the interior and involved the dome and paintings. The current governor of Iowa Terry Branstad visited the courthouse for its 100th anniversary on July 4, 2011. People have said that the courthouse is "the most beautiful county capitol in Iowa".