Ness County is named for Corporal Noah Van Buren Ness, of company G, seventh Kansas cavalry, who died August 22, 1864 at Abbeyville, Mississippi.
Surrounding County Courthouses:
N – Gove County and Trego County
E – Rush County and Pawnee House
S – Hogeman County
W – Lane County
Created: February 26, 1867 
County Seat:
Smallwood 1873 – 1880
Sidney 1880 – 1882
Ness City 1882 – present
County Courthouse – Ness City
Location: 202 West Sycamore Street / South Kansas Avenue
Built: 1917 – 1918
Style: Classical Revival
Architect: J C Holland & Son of Topeka
Contractor: Cuthbert & Sons
Description: The building faces south and is a three story stone and concrete structure. The rectangular shaped building is located on spacious landscaped grounds in the center of Ness City. There are has entrances on the south and east sides. On the roof above the entrances are parapets with crests. The roof line is flat. In the interior, the courtroom is located north side of the third story. The building houses the County District Court of the 24th Judicial District.
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.
Old County Courthouse - Ness City
Location: Main Street / Pennsylvania Avenue
Built: 1888 – 1890
Style: Classical Revival
Architect: J C Holland & Son of Topeka
Contractor: William Ruff of Ness City.
Description: The building faces south and is a three story brown colored stone structure. The building is located in the center of Ness City. There are two arched entrances on the south front. The second story has wide arched windows. The southeast corner has a square stone tower with steep roof. The building housed the courthouse from 1903 to 1917. The architect was James C Holland of Holland & Hopkins of Topeka and the contractor was
See: National Register of Historical Places – Ness County Bank
See: The 24th Judicial District includes Edwards County, Hodgeman County, Lane County, Pawnee County and Rush County.
History: The county was created in 1867 and Smallwood was selected as the county seat in 1873 when the county was organized. The county was attached to Ellis County for judicial purposes. In 1880, Sidney was declared as the county seat. In 1882, Ness City was declared the county seat. The county used rented premises. The first courthouse was located in an old bank building in 1903, which building was designed by Holland & Hopkins and constructed by William Ruff in 1888 to 1890 The second and present courthouse was constructed in 1917 to 1918.
County Courthouse – Ness City
Photos taken 2007