Montgomery County | US Courthouses

Montgomery County is named for Richard Montgomery, who was a United States general killed in the American Revolutionary War.

Surrounding County Courthouses:

N – Wilson County

E – Labette County

S – Nowata County, Oklahoma and Washington County, Oklahoma

W – Chautauqua County and Elk County

Created: February 26, 1867

County Seat:

Independence 1867 – present

County Courthouse – Independence

Location: 217 East Myrtle Street / North 6th Street

Built: 1886 – 1887

Style: Classical Revival

Architect: Edward Oscar Fallis & Company of Toledo, Ohio

Contractor: J H Brewster of Drum Creek

Description: The building faces south and is a two story gray Bedford stone and concrete structure. The building is located on landscaped grounds in the center of Independence. The building has a raised basement. The south front has a large porch with entrance on the first story and supported by four large columns rising to the top of the second story. The recessed entrance on the first story is framed with stone. A cornice projects below the flat roof line with a wide portion above. The windows are vertical. In the interior there is a wide north-south corridor with marble. The former courtroom was located at the center of the second story and has been converted into office space. An addition was added onto the north side in 1931. The architect was Cuthbert & Suehrk of Topeka and the contractor was Frank Brewster.

See: The architect, Edward Oscar Fallis & Company of Toledo, Ohio also designed the courthouses in Ohio in Paulding County and Williams County; and in Illinois in Schuyler County, in Indiana in Noble County, in Michigan in Lenawee County and Monroe County.

See: The architect, Cuthbert & Suehrk of Topeka, designed courthouses in Bourbon County and Norton County.

County Judicial Center – Independence

Location: 300 East Main Street / North 4th Street

Built: 1988 – 1989

Style: Modern

Architect: Edwards and Daniels Associates and Hight / Jackson Associates PA

Contractor: Crossland Construction Company Inc. of Columbus, Kansas.

Description: The building faces south and is a three story buff colored brick, glass and concrete structure. The building is located on landscaped grounds in the center of Independence on the east side of the courthouse. The south front has a recessed entrance with glass panels above. Portions of the building extend from the main building. The windows are wide and horizontal. The base of the building is white colored concrete with buff-brown colored brick above. In the interior, the two County District Court courtroom are located along the west side of the second story. The building houses the County District Court of the 14th Judicial District.

See: The 14th Judicial District includes Chautauqua County.

History: The county was created in 1867 and Independence was selected as the county seat. The first courthouse was a one story log structure erected in 1870. The second courthouse was built in 1878. The third and present courthouse was constructed in 1886 to 1887 at a cost of $34,900. An addition was constructed in 1931. The Judicial Center was constructed in 1988 to 1989.

Municipal Building / County Courthouse – Coffeyville

Location: 102 West 7th Street / South Walnut Street

Built: 1929

Style: Classical Revival

Architect: Clare Henderson of Coffeyville and Owen, Sayler and Payson of Kansas City

Contractor: H E McCart and G A Bancroft of Coffeyville.

Description: The building faces south and is a three story red colored brick, stone and concrete structure. The square shaped building is located on landscaped grounds in the center of Coffeyville. The south front has rectangular openings on the first story and five Doric columns rising from the second to the top of the third story. There is delicately cared terracotta and stone panels. In the interior are a marble-clad rotunda, terrazzo staircases, coffered plaster ceilings and pendant light fixtures. The city council chambers are on the west side of the first story. The courtroom is located on the west side of the second story and is a circular design. The courtroom used to have two skylights and a 20 foot high ceiling until the ceiling was lowered. The building houses the County District Court of the 14th Judicial District. The building is named as the Municipal Building and Courthouse.

See: National Register of Historic Places – Coffeyville Municicipal Building

History: In 1927, legislation permitted Coffeyville to have a District Court. The Municipal Building / Courthouse was constructed in 1929 at a cost of $174,023.

Note: The lowest point in Kansas is the Verdigris River at 608 feet ( 207 meters ) which is located in the county.