Barton County is named for Clara Barton, who was responsible for the founding of the Red Cross.
Surrounding County Courthouses:
N – Russell County
E – Ellsworth County and Rice County
S – Stafford County and Pawnee County
W – Pawnee County and Rush County
Created: February 26, 1867 
County Seat:
Great Bend 1867 – present
County Courthouse – Great Bend
Location: 1400 Main Street / Forest Avenue
Built: 1917 – 1918
Style: Modern Classical Eclecticism
Architect: William Earl Hulse & Company of Hutchison
Contractor: Manhattan Construction Company of Muskogee, Oklahoma
Description: The building faces west and is a four story white colored brick and concrete structure. The building is located on spacious landscaped grounds in the center of Great Bend. There are Ionic columns rising from the second story to the third story. There are large arched windows on the third story and small windows on the fourth story. The entrance is framed with black colored stone. In the interior are marble walls and stairs. The County District Court courtroom is located on the east side of the third story. There is a small courtroom at the southwest corner of the third story. The building houses the County District Court of the 20th Judicial District.
Note: The architect, William Earl Hulse & Company of Hutchison, designed courthouses in Brown County, Kiowa County, Osage County, Pawnee County, Reno County, Wallace County and Wichita County.
See: The 20th Judicial District includes Ellsworth County, Rice County, Russell County and Stafford County.
History The county was created in 1867 and Great Bend was selected as the county seat in 1872 when the county was organized. The first courthouse was a brick structure with cut stone corners designed by John G Haskell and constructed by John McDonald in Great Bend in 1873. The second and present courthouse was constructed in 1917 to 1918.
County Courthouse – Great Bend
County District Court courtroom
County District Court courthouse
Picture 1873-1875 County Courthouse
Photos taken 2006, 2010 and 2022