Originally built as a clay structure in 1859, the Crawford county courthouse was eventually moved across the street to make room for a larger courthouse once the county advisors noticed the growth of the surrounding
Originally built as a clay structure in 1859, the Crawford county courthouse was eventually moved across the street to make room for a larger courthouse once the county advisors noticed the growth of the surrounding population. This new courthouse was built in 1904 and has since stood as Crawford County’s location for all things legislation.
With a budget of $115,000, the cornerstone was laid on July 30th 1904 after two years of construction. In today’s currency it would have cost over $3 million dollars! And in fact, included in the original building plans was a central tower, that was later removed in 1945 after officials came to realize it was much too heavy for the remaining structure. Which is understandable, since the exterior walls are meticulously constructed out of Ohio marble, with some weighing in at almost seven tons!
Court is in session
Inside visitors have three stories to explore with pockets of memorabilia displayed along the walls. I was not able to go into the courtroom since they were in session, but I can imagine how beautiful the original hardwood fixtures would look. Designed in a Beaux Arts Style, the Crawford County Courthouse was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1981.
In addition, situated outside the courthouse is a Civil War memorial, which you don’t see a lot of anymore. Spanning from 1861 to 1865, the Civil War casualties numbered in 620,000, with this monument paying respects to the residents of Crawford County and the surrounding area who lost their lives defending this land.
Plan your visit
Personally, I love looking at and walking through old buildings, knowing 100 years ago architects had a vision and wanted to establish a thriving community with hope for a fruitful future. So, if you are feeling the crunch of inflation but still want to enjoy an eventful Summer, then head out to Denison, or maybe even go on your own mini courthouse tour of nearby counties.
Finally, if you’d like to keep up with Crawford County’s upcoming announcements, visit their website (https://www.crawfordcounty.iowa.gov/) where you can also read what activities are being planned and hosted in Denison and the surrounding towns.
712-263-1280
1202 Broadway
Denison, Iowa 51442
