Phelps County - American Courthouses

Phelps County is named for John S Phelps, who was a politician, soldier during the American Civil War and the twenty-third Governor of Missouri.

Surrounding County Courthouses:

N – Maries County and Gasconade County

E – Crawford County and Dent County

S – Dent County and Texas County

W – Pulaski County

Created: November 13, 1857

County Seat:

Rolla 1857 – present

County Courthouse – Rolla

Location: 200 North Main Street / West 3rd Street

Built: 1992 – 1994

Style: Modern

Architect: Stack & Associates, Inc. of St. James

Contractor: Hawkins Construction Company of St. Louis

Description: The building faces northeast and is a two story red colored brick, concrete and glass structure. The building is located on landscaped grounds in the center of Rolla. The northeast front has four vertical glass panels and rises to a peak at the roof line. From the center extend a north wing and an east wing with pitched roofs and small windows. The building sits on the side of a slope with the basement entrance on the south side. The roof is hipped. In the interior is an entrance lobby rising to the top of the second story with ascending stairs and large windows. There are four County Circuit Court courtrooms with the large courtroom located on the northeast side of the second story. The building houses the County Circuit Court of the 25th Judicial Circuit. Behind the building is the old stone jail built in 1860 at a cost of $3,000. Behind the courthouse is the old stone jail designed by James Wilson and built by A Schnable in 1860 at a cost of $3,000.

Note: Phelps County has its original 1860 jail plus the 1912 jail and the current jail building. George Bohannon was the only person ever legally hung in Phelps County and on the day of his hanging a large number of women gathered for the event.

Old County Courthouse – Rolla

Location: 305 West 3rd Street / North Main Street

Built: 1859 – 1863

Style: Georgian Revival

Architect: P J Lynch and Andrew Malcolm

Contractor: P J Lynch and Andrew Malcolm

Description: The building faces north and is a two story red colored sand-mud brick structure. The building is located on landscaped grounds in the center of Rolla and is 45 feet by 65 feet. The north front has a central entrance on the first story with small balcony above on the second story. The roof is gabled. The corners of the building have stone trim. On the roof is a large square open cupola. In the interior the hallway runs north-south on the first story. Wood stairs ascend to the second story where the old courtroom is located on the south side. Vault wings were added after 1881 on the east and west sides. The contractor was C V Sanforth and the jail was added in 1912. The cupola was removed in the 1940’s. the building is now a museum.

See: The 25th Judicial District covers Maries County, Pulaski County and Texas County.

History: The county was created in 1857 and Rolla was selected as the county seat. The first court met in the home of John Dillon and at the office of the Pacific Railroad. The first courthouse was a two story brick structure built by Andrew Malcolm and P J Lynch in 1859 to 1863 at a cost of $5,975 after delays. In 1867 to 1868, J G Braddish was hired to finish work on the courthouse. In 1881 two fireproof vaults were added at a cost of $2,176. The second courthouse was constructed in 1992 to 1994 at a cost of $4,179,000.

Note: On the Courthouse property are located all of the jails from the first stone structure, 1971 jail and the present jail.