Saunders County - American Courthouses

Saunders County is named for Alvin Saunders, who was a governor of the Nebraska Territory.

Surrounding County Courthouses:

N – Dodge County

E – Douglas County and Sarpy County

S – Cass County and Lancaster County

W – Butler County

Created: January 26, 1856

County Seat:

Ashland 1862 – 1873

Wahoo 1867 – present

County Courthouse – Wahoo

Location: 433 North Chestnut Street / West 4th Street

Built: 1904 – 1905

Style: Romanesque Revival

Architect: George L Fisher & Harry Lawrie

Contractor: Olson & Lawrence of Lincoln

Description: The building faces east and is a two story tan colored brick, stone and concrete structure. The building is located on landscaped grounds in the center of Wahoo. The building has a raised basement on the first story and shades of tan and russet from the tan brick, lighter stone and terra cotta trim. The main entrance projects only slightly but has a prominent small gabled dormer above it at the roof line as well as extensive terra cotta around its tall round-arched entrance with small balcony above with two spread wing eagles. Each corner has a large square tower with round black colored dome. In the center rises a high square brick tower with green colored dome. On the hipped roof are russet clay roof tiles. In the interior, a steep and narrow staircase leads directly from the east entrance to the second story central hallway and is adorned with distinctive murals and stencils. Subjects include allegorical figures ( in the former courtroom located on the third story ), scenes relating to agriculture and pioneer life, and the earlier courthouse. The staircase murals are signed by the William G. Andrews Decorating Company of Chicago. Ornate, rich, dark woodwork (pediments with dentils, fluted Corinthian pilasters, paneling), stained glass (stylized organic patterns and geometric shapes), plasterwork (swags and wreaths, beams, dentils, acanthus consoles, molding, Ionic capitals), marble in two colors (wainscoting, mopboard, stair treads), floor tile (in halls, of an elaborate pattern in six colors), brass newels (with urns and Ionic capitals) are found variously in the Supervisors Meeting Room, halls and stairways. A long central corridor on the third story leads to the Board of Supervisors Meeting Room at the south end. On the southwest side is the Old County Jail designed by N P Brigham and constructed by A O Anderson & Sons of Lincoln in 1930.

County Law Enforcement and Judicial Center – Wahoo

Location: 387 North Chestnut Street / West 4th Street

Built: 2007 – 2009

Style: Modern

Architect: Carlson West Provanda Architects of Omaha

Contractor: Sampson Construction of Kearney.

Description: The building faces east is a three story reddish colored brick and concrete structure. The long rectangular shaped building is located on landscaped grounds in the center of Wahoo on the south side of the courthouse. The east front has a slightly projecting center section with entrance on the first story and large vertical window above and rising to a peak at the roof. The roof is hipped. In the interior, the County District Court courtroom is located at the northeast side and the County Court courtroom is located at the northwest side. The building houses the District Court and County Court of the 5th Judicial District. The building is named as the Law Enforcement and Judicial Center.

See: The 5th Judicial District includes Boone County, Butler County, Colfax County, Hamilton County, Merrick County, Nance County, Platte County, Polk County, Seward County and York County.

History: The county was created in 1858 and Ashland was selected as the county seat when the county was organized in 1862. The county seat was moved to Wahoo in 1873. The first courthouse was a two story frame Italianate structure built in 1874. The courthouse was deemed inadequate in 1890 and the county rented office space. The second and present courthouse was constructed in 1904 to 1905 at a cost of $85,000. The County Judicial Center was constructed in 2007 to 2009.