I learned something over the weekend. The architect that build the courthouse in Delaware County, the courthouse I proclaimed to be the most beautiful courthouse in Iowa, was the same architect that built the Boone First United Methodist Church. No wonder I love it!
Pastor Dave dropped that knowledge bomb on me.
But now I’m going to rank the 10 ugliest courthouse in Iowa.
IOWA UGLIEST COURTHOUSE POWER RANKINGS
#10. Allamakee County Courthouse in Waukon
#9. Floyd County Courthouse in Charles City
#8. Emmet County Courthouse located in Estherville
#7. Butler County Courthouse located in Allison
#6. Clarke County Courthouse located in Osceola
#5. Guthrie County Courthouse in Guthrie Center
#4. Cerro Gordo County Courthouse located in Mason City
#3. Cedar County Courthouse located in Tipton
#2. Pottawattamie County Courthouse located in Council Bluffs
#1. Story County Courthouse located in Nevada
If you would like to peruse all 100 Iowa courthouses, click on the link below:
Iowa Courthouses
If you are wondering if I’m going to rank the Freedom Rocks next week, the answer is that I am not. I would really struggle on that one. For reasons I best not disclose.
I don’t know what will be here next Tuesday. An update on the book? Possible. Very possible that next Tuesday this post will just be one word. “None.”
I was hoping that the Story County Courthouse was #1 worst.
I like the logo on Floyd’s, sort of art deco – just nothing else.
The Tipton courthouse is fair. That’s where I graduated high school. (I’m the school, not the courthouse.) The previous courthouse was built in 1859 and was considered grand for its day. They added to it twice and removed the tower, then the cupola that replaced it. They tore it down in the 60s when progress was more important than old relics. Here is a link to old photos. http://courthousehistory.com/gallery/states/iowa/counties/cedar
The Shelby County Courthouse (Harlan) had the same architect (Charles Bell, I think) as the Delaware County Courthouse (and Boone First UMC). But it could easily be on this list. They had to remove it’s large tower just a few years after it was built because it was too heavy for the foundation. Plus it’s been remolded so heavily and poorly that has lost its authenticity.