Arthur County - American Courthouses

Arthur County is named for Chester Arthur, who was the twenty-first President of the United States of America.

Surrounding County Courthouses:

N – Grant County

E – McPherson County

S – Keith County

W – Garden County

Created: March 31, 1887

County Seat:

Arthur 1913 – present

County Courthouse – Arthur

Location: 205 Fir Street / Marshall Street

Built: 1960 – 1961

Style: Modern

Architect: Thomas, Benjamin and Clayton

Contractor: E Charles Robacker

Description: The building faces west and is a one story red colored brick and concrete structure. The rectangular shaped building is located on landscaped grounds in the center of Arthur. The west front of the building has a projecting section on the south side which contain the public library. The north section is lower and has windows. The roof is sloped. In the interior the hallway runs north-south. There is a small multi-purpose room on the east side opposite the entrance which serves as the courtroom. The courthouse is the only courthouse in Nebraska that does not have a formal courtroom. Most trials are held at the courthouse in Keith County. The building houses the District Court and County Court of the 11th Judicial District. The building was remodeled in 1967.

See: The architect, Thomas, Benjamin and Clayton also designed the courthouse in Grant County.

Old County Courthouse – Arthur

Location: 111 Elm Street / Marshall Street

Built: 1913 – 1914

Style: Wood Frame / Italianate

Architect: J S Noll

Contractor: A T Geyer of Arthur County

Description: The building faces north and is a a one story two room white colored clapboard structure. The building is located on spacious landscaped grounds in the center of Arthur on the east side of the courthouse. The square shaped building has a hipped roof with parapet at the top. The building features roof cresting (replacement), tiny brackets, an unadorned sawtooth cornice, corner pilasters, and simple molded lintels. In the interior, the former courtroom occupied the north section and two offices were located on the south side. An old vault remains along the south wall. On the east side is the old wood jail which has wood cells in the interior and a small jailor’s residence on the east side.

Note: This former Prairie courthouse was used until the current county courthouse was built in 1961. When it was being used it was officially the smallest courthouse in the nation. It is really a neat place on the inside.

See: National Register of Historic Places – First Arthur County Courthouse

See: The 11th Judicial District includes Chase County, Dawson County, Dundy County, Frontier County, Furnas County, Gosper County, Hayes County, Hitchcock County, Hooker County, Keith County, Lincoln County, Logan County, McPherson County, Perkins County, Red Willow County and Thomas County.

History: The county was created in 1887 and was under the jurisdiction of Logan County and then McPherson County in 1889 to 1913. Arthur was selected as the county seat in 1913 when the county was organized. The first courthouse was built in 1913 to 1914 at a cost of $980. The second and present courthouse was constructed in 1960 to 1961.