Chariton County is named for the Chariton River which river was named after Joseph Chorette, a French fur trader from St, Louis.
Surrounding County Courthouses:
N – Linn County and Macon County
E – Macon County, Randolph County and Howard County
S – Saline County
W – Saline County, Carroll County and Livingston County
Created: November 16, 1820 
County Seat:
Old Chariton 1821 – 1833
Keytesville 1833 – present
County Courthouse – Keytesville
Location: 306 South Cherry Street / West Jackson Street
Built: 1974 – 1975
Style: Modern
Architect: Carroll Hutcheson
Contractor: Irvinbilt Company of Chillicothe
Description: The building faces north and is a one story red colored brick and cement structure. The north front has a small portico at the entrance. The windows are vertical. The south end of the building is higher and wider with a small portico on the west and east sides and a small cupola in the center of the peaked roof.
See: The 9th Judicial District covers Chariton County, Linn County and Sullivan County.
Note: The first courthouse was built in 1833 and destroyed by fire on September 20, 1864. The second courthouse was built at a cost of $40,000 by Levi Aldrich in 1866 with interior work done by Mitchel and Wagner in 1867. The building was destroyed by fire on August 27, 1973.
County Courthouse - Keytesville
Photos taken 2009