Dade County is named for Francis L Dade, who was a Major in the United States 4th Infantry Regiment during the Second Seminole War.
Srrounding County Courthouses:
N – Cedar County
E – Polk County and Greene County
S – Lawrence County
W – Jasper County and Barton County
Created: January 29, 1841 
County Seat:
Greenfield 1841 – present
County Courthouse – Greenfield
Location: 300 West Water Street / North Main Street
Built: 1934 – 1935
Style: Classical Revival
Architect: Fred C Bonsack and Harvey J Pearce of St. Louis
Contractor: C F Rinehart Construction Company of St. Louis
Description: The building faces east and is a two story gray colored Carthage stone and concrete structure. The square shaped building is located on landscaped grounds of the Courthouse Square in the center of Greenfield. The building isd 70 feet by 70 feet. The east front and all sides have two inset columns rising to a header at the roof line. A cornice runs below the flat roof line. The County Circuit Court courtroom is located on the second story. The building houses the County Circuit Court of the 28th Judiciall Circuit. This was a Works Projects Administration.
See: The architect, Fred C Bonsack and Harvey J Pearce of St. Louis also designed the courthouse in Audrain County, Franklin County and St. Francois County.
See: The 28th Judicial Circuit includes Barton County, Cedar County, Dade County and Vernon County.
History: The county was created in 1841 and Greenfield was selected as the county seat. The first court met at the log home of William Penn on Pennsylvania Prairie. The first courthouse was a frame structure built by R S Jacobs and Joseph Griggs in Greenfield in 1842 at a cost of $800 to $900. The second courthouse was a two story brick structure built by Dozier C Gill in 1850 at a cost of $7,500. The courthouse was destroyed on October 6, 1863 during the Civil War. The third courthouse was built by Francis M Wilson in 1868 at a cost of $10,000. The courthouse was condemned and razed in 1925. The fourth and present courthouse was constructed in 1934 to 1935 at a cost of $135,000.
County Courthouse – Greenfield
County Circuit Court courtroom
Photos taken 2009