National Register of Historic Places

Tama County Courthouse

Toledo, Tama County, Iowa
Listed
July 1, 1981
Type
Building
Period
Industrial
Ref No.
81000269

About this property

The Tama County Courthouse is located in Toledo, Iowa, United States. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1981. The courthouse is the second building the county has used for court functions and county administration. The first courthouse for Tama County was a two-story frame structure built in 1854 for $1,300. The present courthouse is a Victorian Romanesque style building completed in 1866. It was designed by W.R. Parsons & Son. P.B. McCullough of Toledo won the contract to build the building, however their bid was artificially low and they could not afford to complete it. H.B. Belton completed construction. The final construction cost was $22,000, but the county had accepted a $5,000 bid and that is what they paid. The courthouse is a two-story structure composed of red bricks and stone. The main facade features a large stone arch with a recessed entry. A large square clock tower rises in the middle of the same facade and it is capped with a pyramid roof. The belfry can be reached from a stairway on the second floor. The foundation is rusticated stone while the roof is corrugated iron. Gable ends rise above the roofline at various places around the building. The significance of the courthouse is derived from its association with county government, and the political power and prestige of Toledo as the county seat.

Location

Toledo, Tama County, Iowa
41.99685, -92.57761

Categories

ARCHITECTURE
National Register nomination ›
Sources

Property data from the National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service (public domain).

Description adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

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Nearby Historic Sites

Tama County Jail
Industrial
0 mi
Wieting Theater
Industrial
0.1 mi
First United Brethren Church
Industrial
0.1 mi
Hope Fire Company Engine House
Industrial
0.1 mi
Lincoln Highway Bridge
Industrial
2.4 mi

Questions about this property

When was Tama County Courthouse listed on the National Register?

Tama County Courthouse was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on July 1, 1981.

What type of historic resource is Tama County Courthouse?

Tama County Courthouse is classified as a building in the National Register of Historic Places.

What is the period of significance for Tama County Courthouse?

The period of significance for Tama County Courthouse is recorded as the industrial era.

Can I research the history near Tama County Courthouse?

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