Courthouse Exterior Photos

Jefferson County Courthouse Exterior Photos (scroll down).

Also, look at the photo essay of the 2010 renovation of the Courtroom.

 

Completed in 1893, this replacement courthouse was built in the fashionable Richardsonian Romanesque style. The design centered on a 142-foot high corner clock tower, but the top and some other details were removed in 1949 because of a violent wind storm.

In Nov. 2004 a new steeple was installed on the clock tower to replace the one that was removed in 1949.

Additional renovation has been taking place in the interior. The courtroom was fully renovated in 2010.

The terra cotta bas-relief sculpture on the west wall is an allegory of Blind Justice, flanked by Harmony and Strife.

See the Fairfield Ledger newspaper story about Lee Gobble and his efforts to restore the steeple (achieved in 2004).

Note: The courthouse in Red Oak, IA, is almost identical, but reversed (both designed by H. C. Koch).

         For more information, go to the Heritage Tour website.

West side of Jefferson County Courthouse, evening, May 5, 2012.

Later that night, the "super moon", May 5, 2012.

Almost same view in the sunshine.

West side.

Close up, west side.  "LEX" is "law" in Latin.

Closer, west side.

The terra cotta bas-relief sculpture on the west wall is an allegory of Blind Justice, flanked by Harmony and Strife.

West side.

The clock tower (at the southwest corner).

South side.

South entrance.

South side.

Frame for the top cupola, which was removed years ago.  The frame was recently found in the attic.

This is the current top cupola.

Roof detail.

South side.

Above the south side entrance.

At the south entrance.

Also at the south entrance.

Southeast corner.

East side.

East side, looking from the northeast.

Northeast corner.

North side.

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Detailing.

North-west view.

Clock tower with moon in the sky.

Clock tower detail.

The clock tower.

Cornerstone, at the bottom of the clock tower.

 

Photos by Jeff Fitz-Randolph