Holt County is named for David Rice Holt, who was a Missouri legislator from the Platte Purchase.
Surrounding County Courthouses:
N – Atchison County and Nodaway County
E – Nodaway County and Andrew County
S – Doniphan County, Kansas
W – Doniphan County, Kansas and Richardson County, Nebraska
Created: January 29, 1841 
County Seat:
Oregon 1841 – present
County Courthouse – Oregon
Location: 100 East Nodaway Street / South Main Street
Built: 1965 – 1966
Style: Modern
Architect: B R Hunter of Geis, Hunter and Ramos, Kansas City
Contractor: Herbert and Broomer of St. Joseph.
Description: The building faces north and is a one story red colored brick, concrete and stone structure. The building is located on spacious grounds in the center of Oregon. The building is precast concrete with light red colored brick. Tinted glass windows are on the exterior with a double glassed entrance. Above the entrance is a clock atop the flat roof line. In the interior there is a wide north-south corridor. The County Circuit Court courtroom is located along the east side. On the southeast side of the building is the two story red colored brick County Sheriff’s Office.
See: The 4th Judicial Circuit includes Atchison County, Gentry County, Holt County, Nodaway County and Worth County.
History: The county was created in 1841 and Oregon was selected as the county seat. The first courthouse was built by Jesse Carroll in 1841 to 1842 at a cost of $659. The second courthouse was built by Henry Watson in 1852 at a cost of $6,000. The building was remodeled in 1881. The architect was Levi Zook and the contractor was Moses Bennett. The building was remodeled again in 1911. The architect was Eckel and Aldrich of St. Joseph. Another addition was added in 1938. Fire destroyed the building in 1965. The third and present courthouse was constructed in 1965 to 1966 at a ccost of $194,863.
County Courthouse – Oregon
County Circuit Court courtroom
County Sheriff’s Office – Oregon
Photos taken 2008 and 2022