The first court in Monroe County
was held at the John Clark residence in Clarksville in what was then known as
Kish Ki Kosh County. The court convened there for a short time when plans were
made to build a courthouse on the square at Princeton in 1846. This building was
of logs and was built at a cost of $75.00. It was located in the east side of
the square near the alley and was a log structure 20 feet square and 14 feet in
height. An additional sum of money was appropriated for chinking and for 50
light of glass and a loft. It was used approximately 12 years. It was torn down
and logs were split to make a sidewalk around the square. The
first time court was held in Monroe County, it was convened in a log house at
Clark's Point, Judge Charles Mason presiding. There was no floor in the house
and during the session the judge, the layers, and the court officials slept on
the ground. There being no barn, the horses were tied under the trees. One night
a severe storm arose, the horses were brought into the courtroom and stabled
until morning. This incident gave rise to the story that the first court was
held in a barn. First mention of the name Albia in board
proceedings was July 4, 1848, although actual incorporation took place March 26,
1859. The name of the county was changed to Monroe at some time prior to this
date as it was called Monroe at the time of the incorporation.
The second courthouse was a building of brick on the location of the present
structure. It was planned in January 1858, at a contracted cost of $10,900.00
with an additional $450.00 in 1859. In 1860, a second courthouse constructed in
medieval style of the Tudor with a total cost of $11,350.00 This
building was replaced by the present structure, which was approved by voters in
November 1901, at a cost of $75.000.00 later increased to $100,000.00. The
cornerstone was laid on August 29, 1902; the three-story sandstone building was
dedicated on October 26, 1903. This building has served the county well for a
long time and has been the center of much progress in many ways, as well as the
housing of the judicial head of the county. It is a beautiful building with
possibilities of serving Monroe County for many years. This
building greatly influenced later building design in Albia in two ways. It
introduced stone as building material and neo-classical style architecture to
the business district. You can see this influence in many of the buildings on
the square now. Oliver O. Smith of Des Moines was employed as
architect to draw plans and specifications for the new courthouse and to
superintend the construction. James Rowson and Son of Iowa City,
Iowa constructed the new courthouse as per plans and specifications of O. O.
Smith contract signed April 10, 1902. The original bid was $69,550.00 included
materials from the old courthouse, but didn't include fixtures, heating, etc.
The contract states the stone to be used will be Cleveland stone known as "Grey
Canyon". The three-story structure of sandstone has Tennessee
Marble floors in the halls, vestibules, stair landings and the toilet rooms.
There is marble base in the halls and toilet rooms. There is wood base in all
rooms and wainscoting cap in the courtroom. The Board of
Supervisors made a change in the contract to wainscot the halls, vestibules,
stair landings and up the wake stairs on the three floors 3 foot 6 inches high
with marble, also to make a marble floor in from the public spaces in the main
offices same as halls with a 10 inch marble base. Also, to furnish marble stair
treads in place of slate as specified. The counters are pink
Tennessee marble fronts and tops not less than 30 inches on the top. Auditor,
clerk and Recorders are 42 inches high. The Treasurer's counter is 42 inches
high and to have a screen 42 inches high, the screen for 12 inches above the top
of the counter to be beveled plate glass The three-story
structure of sandstone has Tennessee Marble floors in the halls, vestibules,
stair landings and the toilet rooms. There is marble base in all halls and
toilet rooms. There is wood base in all rooms and wainscoting cap in the
courtroom. The Board of Supervisors made a change in the contract
to wainscot the halls, vestibules, stair landings and up the wake stairs on the
three floors 3 foot 6 inches high with marble, also to make a marble floor in
from the public spaces in the main offices same as halls with a 10 inch marble
base. Also, to furnish marble stair treads in place of slate as specified.
The counters are pink Tennessee marble fronts and tops not less than 30 inches
on the top. Auditor, Clerk and Recorders are 42 inches high. The
Treasurer's counter is 42 inches high and to have a screen 42 inches high, the
screen for 12 inches above the top of the counter to be beveled plate glass,
obscure and above this to be grill work. The screen is to be supplied with
3 wickets hinged and to have locks. This grill work is still in place.
The Clerk of Court's office has a metal spiral stairway connecting them directly
with the courtroom on the third floor. A 1,000-pound pure metal
bell composed of new Lake Superior copper (78 parts) and East India black tin
(22 parts) was also purchased from Seth Thomas at a cost of $300. The bell
was removed from the clock tower in 1970, and is now displayed on the east side
of the courthouse park. The clock now operates electrically and the bell
has not been used in some time. The courthouse exterior was sandblasted
and cleaned as part of the renovation program in Albia during 1970.
A Seth Thomas tower clock was purchased and installed in the courthouse tower at
a cost of $740.00. The corner stone laid August 29, 1902 at the
Northeast corner of the building is inscribed -
| The Board of Supervisors |
| |
|
Samual Elder, Chairman
William Judge
J.K. Watson |
| --------------------------------------- |
| |
|
O.O. Smith Architect
G.W. Salisbury Superintendent |
| --------------------------------------- |
| |
|
James Rowson & Son
Contractors and Builders |
on the North side and 1902 on the east side of the inscription.
$975,000 - voted in July 1990, for renovation sub-floor support, elevator, new
heating system.
This building was named to the National Register of Historic Places on July 2,
1981. |
