Greene County - American Courthouses

Greene County is named for Nathanael Greene, who was a general in the American revolutionary War.

Surrounding County Courthouses:

N – Polk County and Dallas County

E – Webster County

S – Christian County

W – Lawrence County and Dade County

Created: January 2, 1833

County Seat:

Springfield 1833 – present

County Courthouse – Springfield

Location: 940 Boonville Avenue / Central Street

Built: 1910 – 1915

Style: Classical Revival

Architect: A N Torbitt of Miller, Opel and Torbitt of Jefferson City

Contractor: A E Gibson Construction Company of Tulsa, Oklahoma and later Hiram Lloyd Company of St, Louis

Description: The building faces south and is a three story Greene County Phoenix stone and concrete structure. The rectangular shaped building is located on landscaped grounds in the center of Springfield and is 100 feet by 200 feet. The south front has three arched entrances on the first story and four columns rising from the second story to the top of the third story. The center section projects from the main building. A belt course runs between the first and second floors. The second floor windows are elaborately ornamented with carved stone balustrades matching the balustrade above the entrance doors, and pediments supported by ancons. The interior has retained its integrity in the public spaces. The main entry doors on the south façade are surmounted by leaded glass arched windows with ancons centered over the interior of each arch. In the interior, this entrance leads into the first story vestibule with marble floors and walls. The walls have dentils above the structural columns between the doors. Oak and glass doors lead into the rotunda. The rotunda floors are marble with a contrasting hexagon in the center. Stairs on the east and west sides of the rotunda lead up to the second and third stories. Above the rotunda is a large circular skylight. The large courtroom is located on the east side of the second story.

See: National Register of Historic Places – Greene County Courthouse

County Judicial Courts Facility – Springfield

Location: 1010 North Boonville Avenue / East Scott Street

Built: 1994 – 1995

Style: Modern

Architect: Warren & Goodwin Inc.

Contractor: Dewitt and Associates Inc.

Description: The building faces west and is a three story light gray colored stone, concrete and glass structure. The building is located on landscaped grounds in the center of Springfield on the north side of the courthouse. The west front has a semi circular section in the center with four columns on the first story with the glass entrance behind. Five high columns support the third story. Horizontal glass windows run across the upper part of the building. In the interior are eighteen courtrooms. The building is the County Judicial Courts Facility. The building houses the County Circuit Court of the 31st Judicial Circuit. In 2024 to 2026 the building was expanded to include the former County Judicial Courts Facility and Justice Center (jail) and add an entrance building on the northwest side. The architect was N-Form Architecture and the contractor was MSI Constructors.

County Justice Center – Springfield

Location: 1000 North Boonville Avenue / East Scott Street

Built: 1998 – 2000

Style: Modern

Architect: BKL Incorporated and HBR Architecture

Contractor: Flintco, Inc.

Description: The building faces west and is a two story precast concrete structure. The building is located in the center of Springfield on the north side of the courthouse and on the south side of the County Judicial Courts Facility. The west front has a projecting center section with recessed porch on the first story with central entrance. There are no windows except on the west side. The roof line is flat. The building houses the Sheriff’s Office and the County Jail.

History: The county was created in 1833 and Springfield was selected as the county seat. The court met first in the home of John P Campbell. The first courthouse was designed by Sidney Ingram, superintendent and was built in 1836 at a cost of $3,250. The building burned on October 28, 1861. The second courthouse was designed and built by Josiah Leedy, one of three commissioners in 1861 at a cost of $36,000. The third and present courthouse was constructed in 1910 to 1915 at a cost of $200,000. The County Judicial Courts Facility was constructed in 1994 to 1995. The County Justice Center was constructed in 1998 to 2000. In 2024 to 2026 the County Judicial Courts Facility and County Justice Center were expanded at a cost of $19,000,000.

See: Located in the county is the Missouri Court of Appeals – Southern District