Whiteside County is named for Samuel Whiteside, who was a Representative in the first General Assembly, and was a Brigadier General in the Black Hawk War.
Surrounding County Courthouses:
N – Carroll County and Ogle County
E – Lee County
S – Bureau County and Henry County
W – Rock Island County and Clinton County, Iowa
Created: January 16, 1836 
County Seat:
Lyndon 1839 – 1841
Sterling 1841 – 1842
Lyndon 1842 – 1846
Sterling 1846 – 1857
Morrison 1857 – present
County Courthouse – Morrison
Location: 200 East Knox Street / North Cherry Street
Built: 1985 – 1986
Style: Modern
Architect: Phillips Swager Associates Inc. of Peoria
Contractor: Richard J Prescott Construction Company of Sterling.
Description: The building faces south and is a two story dark red colored brick structure. The west front has large recessed rectangular glass windows on the first story and narrow horizontal windows on the second story. Above the entrance on the second story is a large glass bay-window. The roof line is flat.
See: The 14th Judicial District includes Henry County, Mercer County and Rock Island County.
History: The county was created in 1836 and the first courthouse was built in Lyndon in 1840. The second courthouse was built in Sterling in 1841. The third courthouse was designed by B S Foreman and constructed by John McKay in 1863 at a cost of $14,000. An addition was designed by W W Sanborn and constructed by Mason H Howell in 1883. The building was enlarged in 1941.
County Courthouse – Morrison
Photos taken 2007