Courthouse Press Release - 2/1/2019
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Courthouse Timeline
Important dates in the history of the Marshall County Courthouse
| 1851 | Henry Anson chose the site for a town and named it
Marshall Two of three commissioners appointed by the Iowa General Assembly selected a place for the county seat, three miles north of the center of Marshall County and named it Marietta. |
| 1853 | William C. Smith, County Judge, paid Alexander Crow $905.00 for a 22’ X 32’, one story, frame courthouse he built in Marietta. |
| Fall 1857 - Spring1858 | Citizens of Marshall built a 40’ X 60’ two story, brick building at 10-12 South 1st Avenue and offered it to the county. |
| 1858 | The voters of Marshall County approved moving the county seat to the brick building in Marshall. |
| 1859 | After a lengthy court proceeding and a "night march on Marietta," county records and the safe were brought to Marshall by 8 yoke of oxen and placed in the 1st Avenue brick courthouse where they remained for 26 years. |
| 1860 | The Marietta Courthouse was purchased by a hardware merchant for $175.00 and brought to 20 West Main, Marshall. |
| 1873 (About) | The Marietta Courthouse was moved to 610 West State where it remains, the back section of an apartment house. |
| 1881 | Citizens voted for a new $100,000 courthouse to be built on the public square deeded by Henry Anson in 1881. |
| 1884 | Architect John C. Cochrane of Chicago, whose firm had designed the State Capitol building in Des Moines, was selected to make plans and write specifications for the new Marshall County Courthouse. |
| 1884 | The cornerstone was laid. Local contractors included the LeGrand Quarry Co., and Banzhaf & Atkinson, who had the contract for stone and mason work, and D.E. Townsend, contractor for carpentry and glazing. |
| 1886 | The $150,000, 30’ X 130’ X 175’ tall Courthouse was dedicated in afternoon and evening ceremonies. A semi-circular drive approached the south entrance. |
| 1900 | A $2,580 tower clock installation was completed. Henry Anson’s funeral was held in the Grand Court Room. |
| 1974 | 70.8% of voters approved a $3.2 million bond issue for renovation. |
| 1978 | County government returned to the newly renovated 1886 courthouse on the public square. |
| 1978 | Rededication of the Marshall County Courthouse. |
| 1986 | A centennial celebration was held at the courthouse. |
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