Webster County is named for Daniel Webster, who was a statesman, senator and the United States Secretary of State.
Surrounding County Courthouses:
N – Humboldt County
E – Wright County and Hamilton County
S – Boone County and Greene County
W – Calhoun County and Pocahontas County
Created: January 15, 1851
County Seat:
Homer 1856
Fort Dodge 1856 – present
County Courthouse – Fort Dodge
Location: 701 Central Avenue / 7th Street South
Built: 1901 – 1902
Style: Beaux Arts
Architect: H C Koch and Company of Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Contractor: Northern Building Company
Description: The building faces north and is a four story stone and concrete structure. The rectangular shaped building is located in the center of Fort Dodge. The north front has four stone ionic columns rising from the second to third stories. There are three square openings at the south entrance on the first story. Above the entrance rises a green colored clock tower. A projecting cornice divided the third and fourth stories. The building has a green colored mansard roof. The interior features a large rectangular light court that is covered with a white colored glass barrel-vaulted skylight. A marble staircase with brass balustrade and handrails is located on the north side of the light court. The perimeter of the court is set off by column screens with columns in the Corinthian and Ionic orders. The space is decorated with Adamesque details. The large County District Court courtroom is located along the south side of the third story. On the third story is a courtroom on the north side and a small courtroom on the northeast side. The building houses the County District Court of the 2B Judicial District.
See: The architect, H C Koch and Company of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, designed courthouses in Jefferson County, Mahaska County and Montgomery County and in Kansas in Marshall County.
See: National Register of Historic Places – Webster County Courthouse
See: The 2B Judicial District includes Boone County, Calhoun County, Greene County, Hamilton County, Hardin County, Humboldt County, Marshall County, Pocahontas County, Story County and Wright County.
County Law Enforcement Center – Fort Dodge
Location: 702 1st Avenue South / 7th Street South
Built: 1982 – 1983
Style: Modern
Architect: Associated Engineers Incorporated.
Contractor: Harold G Wright Company and Christiansen Construction
Description: The building faces south and is a four story buff colored brick and concrete structure. The building is located in the center of Fort Dodge on the south side of the courthouse. The south front has a recessed entrance on the west and a recessed section on the second story over the entrance. The building is connected to the courthouse on the north side by a skywalk. On the flat roof is a raised recessed section. In the interior, the two County Magistrate Court courtrooms are located on the second story.
History: The county was created in 1851 and Homer was selected as the county seat in 1856. The county seat was moved to Fort Dodge later in 1856. The first courthouse was a two story structure built in 1859 to 1861. The second and present courthouse was constructed in 1901 to 1902 at a cost of $100,000.
County Courthouse – Fort Dodge
County District Court courtroom
County District Court courtroom
County Law Enforcement Center – Fort Dodge
Photos taken 2008 and 2024
Images 32*