Gentry County is named for Richard Gentry, who was from Boone County in Missouri and who was a soldier in the Seminole War of 1837.
Created: February 14, 1854
County Seat:
Albany 1854 – present
County Courthouse – Albany
Location: 200 West Clay Street / South Smith Street
Built: 1884 – 1885
Style: Second Empire and Late Victorian
Architect: Edmund J Eckel of Eckel and Mann
Contractor: Rufus K Allen of St. Joseph
Description: The building faces south and is a three story red colored brick and stone structure. The building has a large square tower with large arch at the first story entrance and rising to a clock with peaked roof above. There is a mansard roof with dormers with bracketed eaves and decorative arched drip molding. The east and west wings project from the main building. There are dormers on the third story.
Note: The first courthouse was built under the supervision of Isaac Cameron in 1845. The second courthouse was built by George H Mosley in 1853 to 1855 at a cost of #6,000. The cost of construction of the present courthouse was $29,100.
Courthouses:
N – Worth County
E – Harrison County and Daviess County
S – DeKalb County
W – Andrew County and Nodaway County
Photos taken 2009