Former Audubon County Courthouse

United States historic place


Audubon County Courthouse
U.S. National Register of Historic Places


Show map of IowaShow map of the United States
Location	Washington and Kilworth Sts. Exira, Iowa
Coordinates	41°35′29″N 94°52′30″W / 41.59139°N 94.87500°W / 41.59139; -94.87500
Area	Less than one acre
Built	1874
NRHP reference No.	77000493
Added to NRHP	July 26, 1977

The Former Audubon County Courthouse, also known as the Audubon County Historical Society Museum, is a historic building located in Exira, Iowa, United States. Court proceedings were first held in a schoolhouse in Hamlin's Grove after Audubon County was established in 1851. The county seat was relocated to Exira ten years later, and a disagreement erupted over where the county seat should be located. The county board of supervisors made an appropriation for a new courthouse in 1871, but its construction was delayed due to the disagreement. Exira eventually won and officials constructed the courthouse for about $2,200. The Exira Hall Company was established to build the two-story, frame structure. County offices were located on the first floor and the courtroom was located on the second floor. The county seat was moved to Audubon in 1879.

It is unknown what the building was used for between 1879 and 1887 when the local Knights of Pythias lodge took over the rent and later acquired the title. The second floor was used for the lodge. The building's name was changed to the Opera House when the first floor was rented out to travelling musical and theater groups, and Chautauquas. The first silent movies were also shown in the hall. The first floor had a seating capacity of nearly 400. Other uses for the building have included the town's first library, a bakery, restaurant, cafe, an outreach center, as well as other uses. The Audubon County Historical Society eventually acquired the building for use as a museum. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1977.

References

^ "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. March 13, 2009.
"Audubon County Courthouse". Iowa Judicial Branch. Retrieved 2016-08-15.
^ Iva Milliman. "First Audubon County Courthouse". Audubon County Historical Society. Retrieved 2016-08-15.
Leon Milliman. "Audubon County Courthouse". National Park Service. Retrieved 2016-08-15. with photos

v t e U.S. National Register of Historic Places
Topics	Architectural style categories Contributing property Historic district History of the National Register of Historic Places Keeper of the Register National Park Service Property types
Lists by state	List of U.S. National Historic Landmarks by state: Alabama Alaska Arizona Arkansas California Colorado Connecticut Delaware Florida Georgia Hawaii Idaho Illinois Indiana Iowa Kansas Kentucky Louisiana Maine Maryland Massachusetts Michigan Minnesota Mississippi Missouri Montana Nebraska Nevada New Hampshire New Jersey New Mexico New York North Carolina North Dakota Ohio Oklahoma Oregon Pennsylvania Rhode Island South Carolina South Dakota Tennessee Texas Utah Vermont Virginia Washington West Virginia Wisconsin Wyoming
Lists by insular areas	American Samoa Guam Minor Outlying Islands Northern Mariana Islands Puerto Rico Virgin Islands
Lists by associated state	Federated States of Micronesia Marshall Islands Palau
Other areas	District of Columbia American Legation, Morocco
Related	National Historic Preservation Act Historic Preservation Fund List of jails and prisons on the National Register of Historic Places University and college buildings listed on the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places portal Category

v t e National Register of Historic Places in Audubon County, Iowa
Audubon	Audubon County Court House Audubon County Home Historic District Ross Grain Elevator
Brayton	Andrew P. Hansen Farmstead
Exira	Audubon County Courthouse John D. Bush House
Kimballton	Bennedsen, Boldt, and Hansen Building Bethany Danish Evangelical Lutheran Church Immanuel Danish Evangelical Lutheran Church Hans J. Jorgensen Barn Kimballton Commercial District Kimballton West 2nd – West 3rd Street Residential District Hans M. Koch House Jens T. Larsen House
Jacksonville	Poplar Rural District
See also: National Register of Historic Places listings in Audubon County, Iowa and List of National Historic Landmarks in Iowa

This article about a building or structure in Iowa is a stub. You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it.

This article about a property in Audubon County, Iowa on the National Register of Historic Places is a stub. You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it.

Categories: