Butler County is named for William O Butler, who was a United States Representative from Kentucky and a candidate for Vice President.
Surrounding County Courthouses:
N – Wayne County
E – Stoddart County and Dunklin County
S – Clay County, Arkansas
W – Ripley County and Carter County
Created: February 27, 1849 
County Seat:
Pine Bluff 1849 – present
County Courthouse – Pine Bluff
Location: 100 North Main Street / Vine Street
Built: 1927– 1928
Style: Neo-Classical Revival
Architect: N S Spencer and Sons of Chicago, Illinois
Contractor: George H Gassman Construction Company
Description: The building faces south and is a three story gray colored Bedford stone and concrete structure. The square shaped building is located on the landscaped grounds of the Public Square in the center of Poplar Bluff. The building is 100 feet by 100 feet. The center of the south front and the other building sides project slightly with two columns rising from the second story to the top of the third story. The first story entrance has a small pediment. The first story has horizontal stone work. There is a balustrade around the flat roof line. The interior lobbies have terrazzo floors and marble wainscoting. At the entrances are terrazzo stairs which lead to the lobby.The courtroom on the third story has terrazzo floors, Art Deco stencilling on plaster walls and egg and dart molding at the ceiling. The building houses the County Circuit Court of the 36th Judicial Circuit. The large courtroom is located on the third story. The architect was N S Spencer and Sons of Chicago, Illinois and the contractor was George H Gassman Construction Company. On the north side is the County Justice Center.
See: National Register of Historic Places – Butler County Courthouse
Note: The Missouri Court of Appeals – Southern District has an office the the courthouse.
See: The 36th Judicial Circuit includes Butler County and Ripley County,
History: The county was created in 1849 and Pine Bluff was selected as the county seat. The first courthouse was designed by Jesse T Gilley and built by Phillip L Varner as superintendent in 1850 to 1851. The second courthouse was a square two story brick structure designed by the county commissioners including John Yarber and built by Solomon G Kitchen, D B Miller, William N Ringer and Charles T Arthur from 1860 to 1866. As the courthouse was not completed, W F Mitchell and Park H. Peters were hired in 1866 and completed the building in 1867 at a cost of $4,245. The courthouse was destroyed by fire on December 14, 1886. The third courthouse was built by L B Walker and Company. in 1887 at a cost of $11,475. A disastrous tornado ripped through Poplar Bluff May 9, 1927, and damaged the courthouse beyond repair. The fourth and present courthouse was constructed in 1928 to 1929 at a cost of $265,000.
County Courthouse – Poplar Bluff
County Justice Center – Poplar Bluff
Photos taken 2009