STATE: Court House Fires in the State of Iowa **************************************************************************** USGENWEB ARCHIVES(tm) NOTICE All documents placed in the USGenWeb Archives remain the property of the contributors, who retain publication rights in accordance with US Copyright Laws and Regulations. In keeping with our policy of providing free information on the Internet, these documents may be used by anyone for their personal research. They may be used by non-commercial entities so long as all notices and submitter information is included. These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit. Any other use, including copying files to other sites, requires permission from the contributors PRIOR to uploading to the other sites. The submitter has given permission to the USGenWeb Archives to store the file permanently for free access. http://www.usgwarchives.net/ ****************************************************************************** This file was contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by: Nettie Mae Lucus February, 2003 ___________________________________________________________________________ County Location Date of Fire Adair Greenfield Sept. 1883 County records in the vaults were saved Adams Corning Feb. 22, 1889 The wooden frame courthouse burned, but the county records and documents were saved. Appanoose Centerville July 4, 1881 A fire in the tower of the second courthouse was caused by fireworks during a Fourth of July celebration. Lightning struck the clock in the tower of the third courthouse in 1975. Benton Vinton Jan. 1853 The courthouse was destroyed before it was fully occupied. County records were saved. Buena Vista Sioux Rapids Jan. 1, 1877 All was lost except the records and books of the board of supervisors and the county safe. Calhoun Rockwell City Sept. 18, 1884 After a fire destroyed the courthouse, the old foundation was used to rebuild the structure. New doors were obtained for the vaults, which were otherwise undamanged. (Fort Dodge Times, Sept. 26, 1884.) Carroll Carrol Apr. 8-9, 1866 The second story of the courthouse was destroyed by fire, water damaged the lower floors. County records were recoverd intact. Cass Atlantic Mar. 15, 1832 The courthouse was gutted, but most f the county records and equipment were saved. The fire started in the storage room in the dome. (Council Bluffs Nonpareil, Mar. 16, 1932.) Chickasaw New Hampton Mar. 26, 1880 The fire spread rapidly, consuming the frame building, but most of the county records were saved. (New Hampton Tribune, Mar. 31, 1880.) Dallas Adel Mid 1850's Fire destroyed the second Dallas County Courthouse, a one-stor frame building. Decatur Leon Mar. 31, 1874 Fire destroyed the 20-year-old brick courthouse and its contents. There were no fireproof vaults. $33,000 in currency was found intact in the treasurer's safe after the fire. Des Moines Burlington June 17, 1873 Mozart Hall, purchased to be used as a courthouse burned. The building and some of the county records were destroyed. Dickinson Spirit Lake Nov. 21, 1871 Only three years after it was finally completed, the courthouse was destroyed by fire. Insurance covered about one-half of the loss. Only a portion of the county records were saved. Emmet Estherville Oct. 1876 The dual purpose schoolhouse-courthouse burned and all the county records were destroyed. Fayette West Union Sept. 15-16, 1872 A fire started by a prisoner awaiting trial destroyed the courthouse. Some book were saved, but many records and papers burned. The contents of the safe were found unharmed. Feb. 5, 1922 The courthouse built to replace the one that burned 1872 was also destroyed by fire. Records that were saved included most of those in the reasurer's office, land transfer books and the most important books in the auditor's office, and some of the recorder's records. The greatest loss was the files of papers for temporary cases for the term of court being held in the courtroom where the fire started. The contents of the safe were found unharmed, and those records in the vaults were in good condition, although the records of the auditor's office were a little damp. (Fayette County Leader, Feb. 9, 1922.) Floyd Charles City June 7, 1874 Lightning struck the cupola of the courthouse tearing up the floor of the county recorder's office. Feb. 4, 1881 A fire caused by a defective chimney in the county recorder's office destroyed the courthouse completed in 1861. Some of the county records lost in the fire were transfer index records, charts, maps, early proceedings of the county judge, and minutes of the board of supervisors. Those records in safes and fireproof vaults were saved--tax books and legers, most of the books and records in the recorder's office and the auditor's office, book in the clerk's office and records in the sheriff's office. Original surveys and town plats and entried of record were preserved. Fremont Sidney Nov. 10, 1863 The courthouse was severely damaged by dynamite, and papers and furnishings were burned or damaged. The vault and safe were un-disturbed. Grundy Grundy Center 1974 A small fire, confined to the recorder's office, caused about $1,500 damage. Guthrie Guthrie Center Mar. 3, 1882 The courthouse was completely destroyed by fire five years after it was built. All county records were saved except those of the county superintendent and the sheriff. Insurance in the amount of $15,000 was collected. Nov. 27, 1963. The courthouse built in 1883-1884, scheduled to be razed upon completion of a new courthouse, was completely destroyed. Many of the county records and unissued automobile license plates were lost in the fire. Hardin Eldora Oct. 1856 The first Hardin County Courthouse burned to the ground during the same year it was built, and early county records were destroyed. Aug. 1921 The courthouse towner caught fire when a pigeon with flaming wings, flyng from the burning opera house, alighted on the courthouse. The entire roof and clock were destroyed, but the fire did not go below the iron floor in the bell tower. (Eldora Herald, Aug. 4, 1921) Harrison Magnolia Sept. 1854 The first courthouse in the county, a log cabin, burned, destroying the earliest county records and "cash on hand." Howard Cresco Dec. 1, 1876 A fire of undertermined origin, which started in the courtroom on the second floor, destroyed the courthouse, all records of the district and circuit courts, and some books and papers in other county offices. (Iowa Gate Register, Dec. 5, 1876, p. 2; Waterloo Iowa State Reporter, Dec. 6, 1876, p. 4). Records from the offices of the treasurer recorder, and auditor were removed before the fire spread to the first floor. (Howard County Times. quoted in the Times-Plain Dealer, Cresco Centennial edition, June 15, 1966.) Ida Ida (later a part Jan.12, 1877 The first courthous and most of the county records were destroyed of Ida Grove) about five years after the building was completed. Jasper Newton ----------- The courthouse stood from 1857 until 1909 caught on fire several times but did not burn down. Johnson Iowa City 1856 The first courthouse in Iowa City, referred to as the "Smokehouse" because the flues in the chimneys did not carry the smoke out of the building, caught fire while votes were being counted following an election, and burned to the ground. Lee Fort Madison Mar. 29, 1911 A fire of undertermined origin, destroyed the courthouse built in 1841-1842. The $17,600 of insurance on the building and contents nearly covered the cost of re-building. Records in the vaults and most of those on the first floor were saved. The county treaurer rescued nothing but the loose money. (Fort Madison Evening Democrat, Mar. 30, 1911; Burlington Evening Gazette, Mar. 30., 1911; and the Daily Constitution Democract, Mar. 30. 1911, p. 6.) Madison Winterset Oct. 2, 1875 A strong wind fanned the blaze so that it could not be brought under control. The fire completely destroyed the courthouse except for the foundation. All county records, and prisoners in the jail on the second floor, were safely removed. (Warren County Tribune, Oct. 7, 1875, Iowa Daily State Register, Sunday, Oct. 3, 1875, p. 1). The origin of the fire was not discoverd. There was no insurance coverage. Mills Glenwood 12-Dec-17 Wooden joists around the chimney in the treasurer's office caught fire, leaving two good-sized holes in the "tessellated floor." (Mills County Tribune, Dec. 13, 1817, p. 1.) Monroe Albia Nov. 9, 1936 A fire in the courthouse basement was confined to a pile of wooden and cardboard boxes, one window, and little coal. Muscatine Muscatine Dec. 17, 1864 Most of the courthouse, built in 1841, and many county records were destroyed by fire. O'Brien Old O'Brien 1871 The 1870 courthouse burned about a year after it was built. This frame building was replaced with a similar structure. Page Clarinda 1850's A general store, owned by Judge Sloan, was one of several buildings used for holding court before the first courthouse was built in 1856. This store burned down, destroying all county records up to that time. Pottawattamie Council Bluffs 1950's The records of the county clerk were destroyed by fire. Ringgold Mount Ayr Thanksgiving 1889 The courthouse caught fire and burned to the ground. Previous to this disaster on June 8, 1858, a cyclone blew way the log courthouse, also at Mount Ayr scattering county papers and money all over the country side. Sac Sac City Oct. 3, 1888 A Swedish farmhand who had been confined in the county jail set a fire which spread to the courthouse. County records and the county law library were destroyed. Insurance in the amount of $15,000 was collected. Shelby Harlan 1859 Before the first courthouse was completed, it caught fire from an over heated glue pot and burned to the ground at a loss of $2,500. Story Nevada Dec. 31, 1863 The first courthouse was destroyed by a fire caused by a defective flue. Most county records were saved, but the contents of the safe were badly scorched. Taylor Bedford Dec. 9, 1922 A fire was discovered at 7:30 a.m. in the wastebacket in the county treasurer's office. Nothing of great value was destroyed. All valuable papers were locked in the vaults at the time. Van Buren Keosaugua Jan. 12, 1896 The county office building, adjacent to the courthouse, burned down. County records kept in vaults and safes were saved. (Keosauqua Republican, Jan. 16, 1896; Keoaququa Republican, Aug. 15, 1935.) Wayne Corydon Jan. 3, 1938 A fire in the courthouse basment caused $2,000 damage. The cause of the fire was undetermined. Winnebago Forest City 1861 Early county records were burned.