Barber County is named for Thomas W Barber, who was a Free State settler in Douglas County and who was killed near Lawrence on December 6, 1855.
Surrounding County Courthouses:
N – Pratt County and Kingman County
E – Kingman County and Harper County
S – Alfalfa County, Oklahoma and Woods County, Oklahoma
W – Comanche County and Kiowa County
Created: February 26, 1867
County Seat:
Medicine Lodge 1867 – present
County Courthouse – Medicine Lodge
Location: 120 East Washington Avenue / South Walnut Street
Built: 1955 – 1956
Style: Modern
Architect: Brinkman & Hagan of Emporia
Contractor: Frank E Blaser Construction Company of Wichita Inc.
Description: The building faces south and is a one story red colored brick and light colored concrete structure. The building is located on spacious landscaped grounds in the center of Medicine Lodge.The building is a “U” shape on the north side with east and west wings extending north from the south wing. The south front has a central entrance flanked by black colored stone. On the east and west sides are vertical concrete dividers with recessed windows. On either end is red colored brick. Along the east and west sides, the windows are horizontal. The roof line is flat. In the interior, the County District Court courtroom is located on the north side of the first story of the south wing. The building houses the County District Court of the 16th Judicial District.
See: The 30th Judicial District includes Harper County, Kingman County, Pratt County and Sumner County.
History: The county was created in 1867 and Medicine Lodge was selected as the county seat. The county used rented premises until the first courthouse, a two story structure was designed by Willis A Ritchie and built in Medicine Lodge in 1887. The second and present courthouse was constructed in 1955 to 1956.
County Courthouse – Medicine Lodge
County District Court courtroom
Photos taken 2010 and 2022