Iowa Almanac
Iowa Almanac -- Tuesday, July 02, 2024
The historic courthouse. More from the Iowa Almanac in a moment. The 57th Chevrolet is here. Sweet, smooth, and sassy. Your road trips will never be the same when you're behind the wheel of an American legend. Cam Courageous is giving you the chance to win a 57 Chevy Bel Air Sportgoop. This is the car people turn their heads for. Get your raffle tickets now at camcourageous.org. Learn more and get your raffle tickets now for a chance to glide down the road in a classic 57 Chevy. Visit camcourageous.org. The first time court was held in Monroe County shortly after Iowa became a state, it was convened in a log house at Clark's Point. Judge Charles Mason traveled to the site to handle a series of cases as was the custom over a period of days. The house had no floor, and the judge, lawyers, and court officials slept on the ground. There was no barn, so the horses were simply tied under the trees. One night during a severe storm, the horses were brought into the courtroom and stabled until morning. Local folks like to say that the first court in their county was, therefore, held in a barn. Times changed, though, and ultimately Monroe County's third courthouse was dedicated on October 26, 1903. It was a three-story sandstone building constructed at a cost of $100,000. This courthouse in particular shaped the development of albia. It was the first building to use stone and neoclassical-style architecture, which influenced the buildings that were later added to the business district. The building made great use of marble from floors to counters. The clerk of court's office had a metal spiral stairway connecting to the courtroom on the third floor. The building originally had a 1,000-pound metal bell made of copper and black tin. It was removed from the clock tower in 1970 and is now displayed on the east side of the courthouse park. The unique design and materials used in the Monroe County courthouse led to its inclusion on the national register of historic places. On this date in 1981, and that's Iowa Almanac for July 2nd, there's more online at IowaAlmanac.com. Until tomorrow, I'm Jeff Stein.