Ralls County is named for Daniel Ralls, who was a Missouri legislator.
Surrounding County Courthouses:
N – Marion County
E – Pike County, Illinois and Pike County
S – Audrain County
W – Monroe County
Created: November 16, 1820
County Seat:
New London 1821 – present
County Courthouse – New London
Location: 311 South Main Street / East 4th Street
Built: 1858 – 1859
Style: Greek Revival
Architect: Henry C Wellman and Nathan S Dimmitt
Contractor: Francis Kidwell.
Description: The building faces west and is a two story locally quarried limestone and wood structure. The building is located on spacious grounds in the center of New London. The west front of the building has a large portico supported by four large columns rising to a wide pediment at the roof line. The recessed entrance is framed with wood. Walls of the courthouse are made from locally quarried limestone; the columns are plastered, and the pediment and cornice are of wood. In the interior the woodwork is hand-crafted. The County Circuit Court courtroom, noted for its acoustical quality, is located on the second story. The walls of the courtroom are wallpapered in a shade of green similar to that found on the painted corridor walls and the seats are a white color. Around the lower section is a white and green colored dado. The ceiling is also papered, being mostly a white color with a green and pink colored striped border and two interior stripes, which intersect each other at the center of the courtroom and the outer border midway along each side. The elaborate, monumental, classical frames around the doors and windows are hand-carved and consist of pilasters supporting entablatures. These decorative frames are a white color with a touch of gold color added to the dentils. There is a small courtroom on the north side of the second story. The building houses the County Circuit Court of the 45th Judicial Circuit. In 1935 to 1936, an addition was built on the east side. The architect was Arthur Hogg. This was a Public Works Administration project. The building was renovated in 2000 and the architect was Architectnics Inc. and the contractor was A Fischer Builders Inc. The building was renovated in 2006 and the architect was Klingner & Associates and the contractor was Cannon General Contractors, Inc. On the northeast side is the Old Sheriff’s Residence and Jail built in 1869.
See: The other temple-type courthouses still in use as the official county building is located in Lafayette County.
See: National Register of Historic Places – Ralls County Courthouse
See: The 10th Judicial Circuit includes Marion County and Monroe County.
History: The county was created in 1820 and New London was selected as the county seat in 1821. The first courthouse was a two story log structure built in 1822. The second courthouse was built by Samuel Mayhall and Richard S Howard in 1835. Thethird and present courthouse was constructed in 1858 to 1859 at a cost of $18,000.
County Courthouse – New London
County Circuit Court courtroom
Old Sheriff’s Residence and Jail
Photos taken 2009, 2024 and 2026
Images 24*