Built 1918 Opened 1918 Architectural style Beaux-Arts architecture Added to NRHP 14 December 1978 | NRHP Reference # 78001222 Phone +1 515-386-5680 Architecture firm Proudfoot & Bird | |
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MPS County Courthouses in Iowa TR Address 114 N Chestnut St, Jefferson, IA 50129, USA Hours Closed now Thursday8AM–12PM, 1–4:30PMFriday8AM–12PM, 1–4:30PMSaturdayClosedSundayClosedMonday8AM–12PM, 1–4:30PMTuesday8AM–12PM, 1–4:30PMWednesday8AM–12PM, 1–4:30PM Similar Mahanay Bell Tower, Crawford County Courthouse, Dallas County Courthouse, Adair County Courthouse, Grundy County Courthouse | ||
The Greene County Courthouse, located at 114 North Chestnut Street in Jefferson, Iowa, United States, was built in 1918. It was individually listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1978 as a part of the County Courthouses in Iowa Thematic Resource. In 2011 it was included as a contributing property in the Jefferson Square Commercial Historic District. The courthouse is the third structure to house court functions and county administration.
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History
The first courthouse in Greene County was a frame building built in 1856 for $1,825. Prior to that time the county officers were housed in the Thomas Phillips Building. The second courthouse was completed in 1870 for $37,000. The building featured a bell in the cupola that served as a fire alarm, called the court into session and announced curfew. The present courthouse was dedicated in 1917 and was built at a cost of $200,000. A monument to President Abraham Lincoln was added in 1918 to commemorate the Lincoln Highway, which passes in front of the courthouse.
The Mahanay Tower was added to the southwest corner of courthouse grounds in 1966.
In 1993, the Lindsey Memorial, commemorating Greene County native Darrell R. Lindsey, posthumous World War II Medal of Honor recipient, was relocated from the Lindsey Air Station in Wiesbaden, Germany to the southeast corner of the courthouse grounds.
Architecture
Proudfoot, Bird & Rawson of Des Moines designed the three-story building in the Beaux Arts style which is constructed of Bedford Stone. The floor of the central rotunda features a 14 feet (4.3 m) mosaic tile reproduction of the county seal. William Peaco painted the four murals that adorn the inner dome. They are entitled: The Buffalo Hunt, The Emigrants, The Pioneer and The Modern Farm.
Mahanay Tower
The bell tower was built at a cost of $350,000 funded by the estate of Mr. and Mrs. Floyd Mahanay and dedicated on October 16, 1966. The 165-foot (50 m) tower is in the Brutalist style with a three concave sides and contains 14 bells cast by the Petit & Fritsen Bell Foundry in Aarle-Rixtel the Netherlands. The bells chime on the quarter-hour and can be operated by an electric keyboard. The tower has a 120-foot (37 m) observation deck accessed via a glass elevator.