Hardin County is named for John J Hardin, who was from Illinois and who was killed in the American Mexican War.
Surrounding County Courthouses:
N – Franklin County
E – Grundy County
S – Marshall County and Story County
W – Hamilton County
Created: January 15, 1851
County Seat:
Eldora 1853 – present
County Courthouse – Eldora
Location: 1215 Edgington Avenue / Washington Street
Built: 1892 – 1893
Style: Romanesque and Queen Anne
Architect: Truman Dudley Allen of Minneapolis, Minnesota
Contractor: J F Atkins
Description: The building faces north and is a two story red colored brick, stone and concrete structure. The building is located on landscaped grounds of the Courthouse Square in the center of Eldora. The building has stone trim around the windows, entrances and foundation. Polished granite red colored granite columns are at the north and south entrances. Above the north entrance is a high clock tower rising 128 feet with alcove at the third floor with statues depicting Justice, Mercy and Liberty. The exterior is composed of St Louis pressed brick and pink colored Kasota stone. Semi-circular transoms adorn the upper middle east and west windows featuring the great seal of the State of Iowa, etched onto frosted glass. On the northwest corner is a round tower with conical roof. On the corners are large square towers with peaked roofs. The interior has a central rotunda. The County District Court courtroom is located on the southeast side of the second story. The County Magistrate Court is located at the northeast side of the second story. The building houses the County District Court of the 2B Judicial District and the County Magistrate Court. In 1921, the clock tower was destroyed by fire. The building was restored in 1968 to 1970. The architect was Donald McKeown and the contractor was R D Stewart Inc.
See: The architect Truman Dudley Allen of Minneapolis, Minnesota also designed courthouses in Franklin County and Hardin County, Iowa. Blue Earth County, Rock County and Steele County, Minnesota, Medina County, Ohio and Richland County. Wisconsin.
See: National Register of Historic Places – Hardin County Courthouse
See: The 2B Judicial District includes Boone County, Calhoun County, Greene County, Hamilton County, Humboldt County, Marshall County, Pocahontas County, Story County, Webster County and Wright County.
History: The county was created in 1851 and Eldora was selected as the county seat in 1853. The first courthouse was a two story frame structure built in 1856 and was destroyed by fire in the same year. The second courthouse was built in 1857. The third and present courthouse was constructed in 1892 to 1893 at a cost of $48,000. In 1968, the building was restored at a cost of $375,000.
County Courthouse – Eldora
County District Court
County Magistrate Court courtroom
Photos taken 2008 and 2024
Images 16