Union County is named for the Union side of the American Civil War.
Surrounding County Courthouses:
N – Lincoln County
E – Sioux County, Iowa, Plymouth County, Iowa and Woodbury County, Iowa
S – Dakota County, Nebraska and Dixon County, Nebraska
W – Dixon County, Nebraska and Clay County
Created: April 10, 1862 
County Seat:
Victoria 1862 – 1864
Richland 1864 – 1865
Elk Point 1865 – present
County Courthouse – Elk Point
Location: 209 East Main Street / North Court Street
Built: 1977 – 1978
Style: Modern
Architect: Fritzel, Kroeger, Griffin & Berg of Sioux Falls
Contractor: Wiltgen Construction Inc. of LeMars, Iowa
Description: The building faces south and is a one story yellow colored concrete structure. The building is located on landscaped grounds in the center of Elk Point. On the south front the center entrance is glass with a curved top section. The building is rectangular with deeply scored pre-cast concrete panels. At the south front, the large glass windows are topped with a raised roof area containing clerestory windows. Projecting from the windows in an upward barrel shape, is a decorative area of wood. The building is topped with a plain, darker colored cornice. The roof line is flat. There is a small plaza along the south side of the building. In the interior, the County Circuit Court courtroom is located on the northeast side and contains a number of murals. A second courtroom is located in the basement. The building houses the County Circuit Court of the 1st Judicial Circuit and the County Magistrate Court. On the northeast side is the County Jail,
See: The 1st Judicial Circuit includes Aurora County, Bon Homme County, Brule County, Buffalo County, Charles Mix County, Clay County, Davison County, Douglas County, Hanson County, Hutchinson County, McCook County, Turner County and Yankton County.
History: The county was created in 1862 and Victoria was selected as the county seat. In 1862 and the county seat was moved to Richland in 1864 and then to Elk Point in 1865. The court first met in a log school house. The first courthouse was a two story cottonwood log structure erected in 1866. The second courthouse was designed by G W Bunkhead and constructed by Payette Construction Company in 1898. The third and present courthouse was constructed in 1977 to 1978.
County Courthouse – Elk Point
County Circuit Court courtroom
County Circuit Court small courtroom
Photos taken 2007, 2009 and 2018