Ness County is named for Corporal Noah Van Buren Ness, of company G, seventh Kansas cavalry, who died August 22, 1864 at Abbeyville, Mississippi.
Created: February 26, 1867
County Seat:
Ness City 1873 – present
County Courthouse – Ness City
Location: 100 South Kansas Avenue / Main Street
Built: 1917 – 1918
Style: Classical Revival
Architect: J C Holland & Son of Topeka
Contractor: Cuthbert & Sons
Description: The building faces south and is a two story stone structure. The building is rectangular and has recessed entrances on the south and east sides. On the roof above the entrances are parapets with crests. The roof line is flat.
Note: The previous courthouse was located in an old bank building in 1903, which building was designed by Holland & Hopkins and constructed by William Ruff in 1890.
See: The architect, J C Holland and Company of Topeka, designed courthouses in Clay County, Geary County and Mitchell County; and in Nebraska in Jefferson County. Holland and Son designed courthouses in Rice County. With Frank C Squires, he designed courthouses in Riley County and Thomas County. With Charles W Squires, he designed the courthouses in Marion County and Osborne County.
See: The contractor, Cuthbert & Sons, constructed courthouses in Jackson County, Phillips County, Rice County and Rooks County.
Courthouses:
North – Gove County and Trego County
East – Rush County and Pawnee House
South – Hogeman County
West – Lane County
Photos taken 2010