Lewis County is named for Meriwether Lewis, who was an explorer and Governor of the Missouri Territory.
Surrounding County Courthouses:
N – Clark County
E – Hancock County, Illinois and Adams County, Illinois
S – Marion County and Shelby County
W – Knox County
Created: January 2, 1833
County Seat:
Monticello 1833 – present
County Courthouse – Monticello
Location: 101 Lafayette Street / South Washington Street
Built: 1875 – 1876
Style: Federalist
Architect: J T McAllister
Contractor: George Barnes
Description: The building faces north and is a two red colored brick and wood structure. The building is located on landscaped grounds in the center of Monticello. The building is 75 feet by 50 feet and has a mansard roof with a square cupola above the central north section of the building. Decorative brick work and paired brackets enrich the cornice. There is a stone foundation. Above the central north entrance is a small balcony on the second story. In the interior, the hallway on the first story runs north-south. Wood stairs ascend to the second story where the County Circuit Court courtroom is located along the south side. A large painting hangs on the courtroom wall. The building houses the County Circuit Court of the 2nd Judicial Circuit. During construction, S J Vandiver was superintendent. An addition was added to the west side. An east and west addition were constructed in 1922. In 2004, an addition was constructed on the west side. On the east side is the one story Courthouse Annex.
See: The 2nd Judicial Circuit includes Adair County and Knox County.
History: The county was created in 1833 and Monticello was selected as the county seat. The first courthouse was a one room log structure built by J W Buckley in 1834 at a cost of $210. The second courthouse was a two story brick structure designed by William Ellis and built by William S Pemberton and James A Richardson in 1839 at a cost of $3,200. The third and present courthouse was constructed in 1875 to 1876 at a cost of $10,000. During construction, S J Vandiver was superintendent.
County Courthouse – Monticello
County Circuit Court courtroom
County Courthouse Annex – Monticello
Photos taken 2009, 2024 and 2026
Images 14*