12/80/.5M.""Missouri Courthouses.""Published by University of Missouri-Columbia Extension Division.

Ohman, Marian M.

University of Missouri: MOspace

MISSOURI COURTHOUSES DADE COUNTY ~.~~~~ Marian M. Ohman Coordinator, Ar' History Programs Ihe log cabin residence of William Penn on Pennsyl­vania Prairie provi ded the location for the first courts of Dade County, but the permanent county seat was to be located within four miles of the center of the county. The first courthouse, built in Greenfield in June ]842, according to probate records, was a IY2-story, frame building with courtroom on the first floor. R. S. Jacobs and Joseph Griggs contracted the building for $800­$900. The court abandoned the structure about the time the second courthouse was built. Dozier C. Gill built the second courthouse on the p\Kblic square in 1850, a brick, two-story building that cost about $7,500. Transverse halls separated the first floor into four office rooms; the courtroom, with small adjoining rooms, occupied the second floor. The cou rt­house was destroyed in the Civil War, October6, 1863. The third courthouse, completed in December of 1868 by contractor Francis M. Wilson, was also a two-story brick building, costing about $10,000 (Fig. I). The court appropriated the money in July 1867. An east-west hall divided the first floor into three offices on the north side and two on the sou th. The courtroom and jury rooms were on the second floor. A grand jury condemned the building in February 1925; it was razed the following August. In 1921 a grandjury had reported the old courthouse in deplorable condition; they recommended a new one at that time and called for the court to select an architect and schedule an election. The court chose St. Louis archi tects Fred C. Bonsack and Harvey J. Pearce. Pearce brought plans of Franklin County to show the court. When he learned of the proposed budget, he Ct~/('II.'· Dllde , Orgn/ltfl-,I •.... 1m", 19. /8'11 " Ntlhll'Q Ajia ... Ml{l. Dr/dr' (llli,e . . 'f!/tmlf,ll' "tlr 0/1I1(\. elJl ... (;rt!flnjit·'(l Fig. I. Dade County Courthouse. 1868-1925. (From: SOJIl'ell;r ProRmlll. /25/h AflfI;l'ersnry. 1966). offered to revise the plans for a smaller building and simplify the design to reduce cost. This modified version, of brick and stone, was presented to the voters, bu t the $100,000 bond figure recommended by the grand jury and the court met defeat at the polls January 31,1922. During the depression one of the state relief organi­zations encouraged Dade County to submit a court­house proposal. The earlier Bonsack and Pearce plans were revived. An election was called for January 1934, and the presiding judge again contacted the architects' firm. County residents first rejected an $85,000 figure. but subsequent! y indicated their support for the project by approving a $75,000 bond issue. County officials anticipated a supplement of $36,100 from the Work Projects Administration, but when approved by the federal government in July 1934, it was for$I 10, 100, far above what they had expected. With this windfall the less expensive modified version of Franklin County was not necessary. Dade County's courthouse resem­bles the Franklin County courthouse built in 1921-23. The contract was let on October II to C. F. Rinehart, St. Louis, for $87,527. Greenfield stone was Archive version — See extnsi.issouri.eduDad~~C~~~nty Courthouse, 1934-. Architects: Bonsacl:: and Pearce (Courtesy: State His(Q~rical 'I..	 originally specified, but the local quarry was unable to third floor. Cornerstone day was March 29, 1935. The comply, so Carthage stone was the alternate choice. county offices moved into their new quarters in Decem­Labor problems with stone cutters and imported skilled ber 1935; the court formally accepted the completed laborers caused delays, and the building was not building January 18, 1936 (Fig. 2). Approximate total completed until late in 1935. The three-story building, expenditure came to about $135,000. 70 by 70 feet, has the courtroom, which seats 250, on the BIBI.IOGRAPH . Book. No.... 30, Qce.7, 1·4. 193 : l"n~ 4. tI, c:b. I, pril~, July', • S{~IJI'ellif Pwg,.wn. 12!ilJr AII'Ji~l,"i".la~. Dade COUnl~'; Qullliqui­ 'US. If>. Sell, 20, !1,' 011:1. 1:8. New. 22. 1 ~ Maroh 7, 2,1. C~nlenni31 A SOCifllioil, 1'i66. ApriI4-. M II :.!J. AUi· 15. lk<;- 19, ~93j. ZOOfJ.rcAmrivfr,f{lI"J /77fp.J916 SblJi'iIll["l1ookin Greenfield: Dade CQunty Bic~lllennh~1 i:l.mrntuee, 1976. F:li,ml~' 0.1' Hkkt}l':l'. PulA-, ('drJI, Dmlt, /,m# R~lrlmr CounlllM, l'fhllnuKdp1 CoIItetiODll Cb~ge: tne Ootid 'peed PUblt\hing omp3ny. 1l$1l9. W(ll'li. p.rojec~ I\d:miniMtioll> Hi ("fleW RecOfd~Sllrve)'. Mi •~~~I	 Ii, Aaron D, lind .4\. 1, Y(lun.,. flMI>i) i~f DfrtJI" mml,l! tllli souri, 193 ·1942. Dade Cj:lunty.. L.oca~ed in 'oint CllIleruon:I.I~ Pt'lJpJ{', CMtIm,i'ei Piomer HiMurical Company, liH. ,nh'tlMilt~ of MisiIOurl. Wc..\I¢l'tLJU.sto,i.1.lal Miit!lIl1CriP( 01· '. ~.lpef'j. Ie lIon-Collllnbta lind SI.!ltr:' Hi~lorita' Sodety of MhA.luri vret'I!/lv.1d \.'t'dNfl!. I:)e(;, .)Z,'19a1; )11'\_ S. rl, 19, FcQ, 2.-l922; Mmwscnpb. UED 6028	 121801.5M 

Dade County (1980)

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