Appanoose County is named for the chief of the Sac and Fox Indian tribes who headed the peace party during the Black Hawk War, and the word means “a Chief when a child”.
Surrounding County Courthouses:
N – Monroe County
E – Davis County
S – Schuyler County, Missouri and Putnam County, Missouri
W – Wayne County
Created: January 13, 1843 
County Seat:
Centerville 1846 – present
County Courthouse – Centerville
Location: 201 North 12th Street / West Jackson Street
Built: 1903 – 1904
Style: Late 19th and 20th Century Revival and Romanesque
Architect: Smith & Gage
Contractor: W M Peatman
Description: The building faces south and is a two story buff colored Bedford stone veneer and concrete structure. The building is located on landscaped grounds of the Public Square in the center of Centerville. The south front has an octagonal stone tower on either side of the recessed arched entrance which is framed with stone. On the second story above the entrance is a large arched window. There is a third story dormer on the green colored title roof. On the center of the roof is a square stone clock tower with green colored peaked roof. The courtroom is located on the second story. During construction, the superintendent was G W Salisbury. The building houses the County District Court of the 8A Judicial District.
See: National Register of Historic Places – Appanoose County Courthouse
See: The 8A Judicial District includes Davis County, Jefferson County, Keokuk County, Mahaska County, Monroe County, Poweshiek County, Van Buren County, Wapello County and Washington County.
History: The county was created in 1843 and Centerville was selected as the county seat in 1846. The county used a blacksmith shop until the first courthouse was built in 1848 at a cost of $160. In 1858, court was held in the Methodist and Presbyterian churches. The second courthouse was built by Cullen & Pearson in 1864 at a cost of $23,000. The third and present courthouse was constructed in 1903 to 1904.
County Courthouse – Centerville
Photos taken 2008