Carroll County - American Courthouses

Carroll County is named for Charles Carroll, who was a signer of the Declaration of Independence and who resided in Carrollton.

Surrounding County Courthouses:

N – Jo Daviess County and Stephenson County

E – Ogle County

S – Whiteside County

W – Clinton County, Iowa and Jackson County, Iowa

Created: February 22, 1839

County Seat:

Savanna 1839 – 1843

Mount Carroll 1843 – present

County Courthouse – Mount Carroll

Location: 301 North Main Street / East Market Street

Built: 1856 – 1858

Style: Italianate

Architect: William B Olmsted and Peter A Nicholson of Chicago

Contractor: William T Miller and Jacob P Emmert with stone mason James Watson and brick layers James Hallet and B H Hallet.

Description: The building faces west and is a three story red colored brick, wood and stone structure. The rectangular shaped building is located on landscaped grounds of a low hill in the center of Mount Carroll on the north side of the Courthouse Square complex which has the Courthouse Annex on the south side and a lower building with portico in the center. The foundation is constructed of course stone. The upper windows are arched and the roof is hipped. In the interior are wooden stairs and wood trim. The County Circuit Court courtroom is located on the west side of the third story. There is a small courtroom. The building houses the County Circuit Court of the 15th Judicial Circuit. The building was repaired and completed from 1858 to 1860. The building was restored in 1976. The architect was Johnson, Kile and Seehaussen Associates, Inc. of Rockford and the contractor was Garman Construction Company. Located at the northwest corner is the Civil War Soldiers and Sailors Monument erected in 1891.

County Courthouse Annex – Mount Carroll

Location: 301 North Main Street / East Market Street

Built: 1895

Style: Italianate

Architect: George O Garnesy

Contractor: Unknown

Description: The building faces west and is a two story red colored brick and stone structure. The building faces west and was completed in 1895. The building is located on landscaped grounds of the south side of the Courthouse Square complex in the center of Mount Carroll. The building has an arched entrance topped by a slanted stone roof. The base of the building is course stone. Horizontal bands of light stone divide the floors and edge the windows. The building originally served as the Clerk’s Office. On the north side is a two story red colored brick and concrete structure constructed in 1958. The building connects the courthouse and the north and the Courthouse Annex on the south. There is a large portico on the west front supported by four large white colored columns.

See: The 15th Judicial Circuit includes Jo Daviess County, Lee County, Ogle County and Stephenson County.

History: The county was created in 1839 and Savanna was selected as the county seat. In 1843, the county seat was moved to Mount Carroll. The county rented premises until the first and present courthouse was constructed in 1856 to 1860 at a cost of $30,500. The Clerk’s Office was built in 1895 and the connecting center building was constructed in 1958.