DeKalb County is named for Johann, Baron de Kalb, who was an American Revolutionary War hero and who lived from 1721 to 1780.
Surrounding County Courthouses:
N – Gentry County
E – Daviess County and Caldwell County
S – Clinton County
W – Buchanan County and Andrew County
Created: February 25, 1845
County Seat:
Maysville 1845 – present
County Courthouse – Maysville
Location: 109 West Main Street / North Polk Street
Built: 1938 – 1939
Style: Classical
Architect: George R Eckel of Eckel and Aldrich of St. Joseph
Contractor: J E Hathman Construction Company of Columbia
Description: The building faces south and is a three story red colored brick, stone and concrete structure. The rectangular shaped building is located on landscaped grounds of the Courthouse Square in the center of Maysville. The building has a raised basement and is 110 feet by 55 feet. The south center section projects from the main building and has vertical windows with the entrance at the center of the first story and at the top is a clock. The east and west wings are lower. Bands of horizontal stone run below the first story windows and above the second story windows. The roof line is flat. The interior contains two wide halls on the first story. Between the first story and second story is a wide stairway of terrazzo flooring leading to the second story where the County Circuit Court courtroom is located along the south side of the building. A narrow stairway leads to the third story where the jail is located. The building houses the County Circuit Court of the 43rd Judicial Circuit.
See: National Register of Historic Places – DeKalb County Courthouse
See: The 43rd Judicial Circuit includes Caldwell County, Clinton County, Daviess County and Livingston County.
History: The county was created in 1845 and Maysville was selected as the county seat. The first court met in private homes. The first courthouse was a log cabin built in 1847 and purchased in 1848 on the east side of the public square. The second courthouse was a brick structure designed by Abram Barger, who was the superintendent, and was built by George W C McPherson in 1851 to 1852 at a cost of approximately $3,750. The building was destroyed by fire on Christmas night in 1878. The third courthouse was designed by Edmond J Eckel and George R Mann of St. Joseph and constructed by Eyre Sitzer, S H Richards and J Y Nesbit in 1885 at a cost of $32,000. The building was demolished in 1938. The fourth and present courthouse was constructed in 1939 at a cost of $59,000.
County Courthouse – Maysville
County Circuit Court courtroom
Picture 1939 County Courthouse
Photos taken 2009 and 2023
Images 22*