Calhoun County is named for John C Calhoun, who was a southern statesman and Vice Present of the United States.
Surrounding County Courthouses:
N – Pike County
E – Greene County and Jersey County
S – St. Charles County, Missouri
W – St. Charles County, Missouri, Lincoln County, Missouri and Pike County, Missouri
Created: January 10, 1825 
County Seat:
Gilead 1825 – 1847
Hamburg 1847
Hardin 1847 – present
County Courthouse – Hardin
Location: 101 North Country Road / Main Street
Built: 1847 – 1848
Style: Federal
Architect: William D Hamilton
Contractor: William D Hamilton
Description: The building faces west and is a two story red colored brick structure. The building is located on landscaped grounds in the center of Hardin. The building is “L” shaped and the southwest section is two stories with a small portico on the north side. The main entrance is on the west side of the east wing which has a small red colored brick tower with sloped roof and descending roof to the north to the peak of the east section. The roof is hipped. On the northwest is an open courthouse square. In the interior, the courtroom is located on the first story. The building houses the County Circuit Court of the 8th Judicial Circuit.A two story addition was added on the south side in 1978 to 1979. The architect was V Hanner & Associates Architects Inc. of Wood River and the contractor was Jersey County Construction. On the north side is the two story stone County Jail.
See: The 8th Judicial District includes Adams County, Brown County, Cass County, Mason County, Menard County, Pike County and Schuyler County.
History: The county was created in 1825 and Gilead ( Coles Grove ) was selected as the county seat. The first courthouse was a log structure erected in 1825. The second courthouse was a two story structure built in 1830 to 1832 at a cost of $1,600. The courthouse was destroyed by fire in 1847. In 1847, the county seat was moved to Hamburg and the county operated out of a residence. An election in 1847 moved the county seat to Hardin ( Child’s Landing ). The third and present courthouse was constructed in 1847 to 1848 at a cost of $1,199.
County Courthouse – Hardin
County Jail – Hardin
Photos taken 2007 and 2012