Adair County

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Adair

Adair County is named for John Adair, who was a general in the War of 1812 and eighth governor of Kentucky.

 

Surrounding County Courthouses: 

N – Guthrie County

E – Madison County

S – Union County and Adams County

W – Cass County

 

Created:  January 15, 1851                    Map of Iowa highlighting Adair County

County Seat:

Fontanelle  1856 – 1874

Greenfield  1874 – present

 

County Courthouse – Greenfield

 

Location:  400 Public Square / Iowa Street & 1st Street

Built:  1891 – 1892

Style:  Romanesque

Architect:  S E Maxon

Contractor:  H P Wind

 

Description: The building faces east and is a two story red colored brick structure. The building is located on landscaped grounds in the center of Greenfield. The east front has a one story portico with three stone trimmed arches. Above is an arched window with a third story dormer and behind it a higher peaked roof. The base of the building is course white colored stone. In the interior, the County District Court courtroom is located on the second story. The building houses the County District Court of the 4th Judicial District.

 

See:  National Register of Historic Places – Adair County Courthouse

 

See:  The 5B Judicial District includes Clarke CountyDecatur CountyLucas County, Ringold County, Taylor CountyUnion County and Wayne County.

 

History:  The county was created in 1851 and Fontanelle was selected as the county seat in 1856. The first courthouse was a small two story structure built in Fontanelle in 1856. The building was later used as a school and burned in 1910. The county seat was moved to Greenfield in 1874 and the second courthouse was a two story frame structure built in in 1874 at a cost of $8,000. The courthouse burned in 1889. An opera house served as the third courthouse. The fourth and present courthouse was constructed in 1891 to 1892 at a cost of $26,768.

 

 

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County Courthouse – Greenfield

 

 

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County District Court courtroom

 

 

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Opera House – Greenfield

Photos taken 2008 and 2023