Worth County is named for William Jenkins Worth, who was a soldier in the Florida War and a general in the Mexican-American War.
Surrounding County Courthouses:
N – Taylor County, Iowa and Ringgold County, Iowa
E – Harrison County
S – Gentry County
W – Nodaway County
Created: February 8, 1861 
County Seat:
Smithdon ( Worthville ) 1861 – 1863
Grant City 1863 – present
County Courthouse – Grant City
Location: 11 West 4th Street / Main Street
Built: 1897 – 1899
Style: Romanesque Revival
Architect: Fremont C Orff and Ernest F Guilbert of Minneapolis, Minnesota
Contractor: Stansberry Press Brick Company
Description: The building faces south and is a two story red colored brick and stone structure. The building is located on landscaped grounds in the center of Grant City. Built of hard red colored brick, the building has a large square tower with peaked roof at each corner with stone rim and measures 71 by 80 feet. The south front has a one story centre projection with three arches and balcony on the second story. There are dormer windows at the roof line on the third story. In the center of the building is an octagonal white colored cupola with white colored dome with conical roof.
Note: The court awarded the building contract to Stansberry Press Brick Company for $19,360. Heating and plumbing contracts amounted to $1,929.
See: The 4th Judicial District covers Atchison County, Gentry County, Holt County, Nodaway County and Worth County.
History: The county was created in 1861 and Smithdon ( Worthville ) was selected as the county seat. In 1863 the county seat was moved to Grant City. The first courthouse was a two story structure built in 1864 at a cost of $600. The building was destroyed by fire in 1866. In 1866, the second courthouse was a two story structure built by John F Mason at a cost of $1000. The third and present courthouse was constructed in 1897 to 1899 at a cost of $25,000.
County Courthouse – Grant City
Photos taken 2009