Cass County is named for Lewis Cass, who was a senator and presidential candidate from Michigan.
Surrounding County Courthouses:
N – Shelby County and Audubon County
E – Adair County
S – Adams County and Montgomery County
Created: January 15, 1851 
County Seat:
Indiantown 1853
Lewis 1853 – 1869
Atlantic 1869 – present
County Courthouse – Atlantic
Location: 5 West 7th Street / Chestnut Street
Built: 1933 – 1934
Style: Art Deco
Architect: Dougher, Rich and Woodburn of Des Moines
Contractor: C C Larsen & Sons Company of Council Bluffs
Description: The building faces north and is a two story buff colored brick and contrete structure. The rectangular shaped building is located on landscaped grounds in the center of Atlanta. The building is trimmed with Indiana limestone. The north front has a small overhang at the first story entrance. Above are three recessed window areas on the second and third stories. The east and west wings are one story and extend from the main building. There is a classic Art Deco eagle beneath the center window. The original front entrance double doors have a bronze and copper finish. They are set beneath a clear glass transom that has its original Art Deco patterned grillwork intact. Brickwork on either side of the entrance is a series of receding stepped sections. In the interior, the front entrance vestibule has two-tone terrazzo floors having black colored borders with a gray colored field that includes black, gray, white and terra cotta-colored chips and with walnut paneled walls set on a 24 inch black colored marble baseboard. The central staircase is located midway along the south wall of the central corridor opposite the front entrance. The staircase features a central, double-wide run leading up to a wide landing between flights with return runs along the walls leading from the main landing to the second story. The County Magistrate Court courtroom is located on the northwest of the second story. The County District Court courtroom is located on the second story facing the north front of the building and has Art Deco light fixtures and a two-story ceiling height that extends into the third floor with original floor dimensions of 52 feet by 30 feet. The building houses the District Court of the 4th Judicial District.
See: The architect Dougher, Rich & Woodburn of Des Moines also designed courthouse in Buchanan County, Humboldt County, Jones County, Kossuth County and Scott County.
See: The contractor C C Larsen & Sons Company of Council Bluffs also constructed courthouse in Buchanan County and Jones County.
See: National Register of Historic Places – Cass County Courthouse
See: The 4th Judicial District includes Audubon County, Fremont County, Harrison County, Mills County, Montgomery County, Page County, Pottawattamie County and Shelby County.
History: The county was created in 1851 and Indiantown was selected as the county seat in 1853. The county seat was moved to Lewis in 1853 and to Atlantic in 1869. The first courthouse was a small frame structure built in 1869. The second courthouse was Park House rented for $1,200. The third courthouse was designed by John Cochrane and built in 1888. The building was destroyed by fire on March 15, 1932. The fourth and present courthouse was constructed in 1933 to 1934 at a cost of $130,000.
County Courthouse – Atlantic
County District Court courtroom
County Magistrate Court courtroom
Board of Supervisors Room
Photos taken 2008, 2023 and 2024