|
Iowa State...
|
|
|
|
|
| |
Iowa Counties
|
|
Click Image to Enlarge
Iowa Counties
There are 99 counties in Iowa. The first two counties, Des Moines County and Dubuque County,
were created in 1834 when Iowa was still part of the Michigan Territory. In preparation for Michigan's
statehood, part of Michigan Territory was formed into Wisconsin Territory in 1836]. Two years later, the western
portion was split off to become Iowa Territory. The south-eastern part of Iowa Territory became Iowa, the 29th
state in the union, on 28 December 1846, by which point 44 counties had been created. Counties continued to be
created by the state government until 1857, when the last county, Humboldt County, was created.
|
|
| |
|
|
Hancock County, Iowa
Hancock County History, Geography, Demographics, Cities and Towns, and Education
County Seat: Garner
Year Organized: 1851
Square Miles: 571 |
Court House: 855 State Street
County Courthouse
Garner, IA 50438-1637
|
Etymology - Origin of County Name
Hancock is named for John Hancock, the American patriot and signer of the Declaration of Independence.
Demographics:
County QuickFacts: Census Bureau Quick
Facts
History
Hancock County was established in
1851. It was named for John Hancock (president of the Continental Congress) and
formed by an election held on June 28, 1858. Only two townships were set up
following the election, Avery and Madison.
The first site for county business was in Amsterdam. A courthouse was planned
and bid on, and $2,000 was let to B. A. Hill for the construction of the
building. One month later, however, the administration of the county was
changed, the contract was voided by the new administration, and no courthouse
was built. County business was held in the Amsterdam school until November 1865,
when it became apparent that the county would need a courthouse.
Land was donated by the Seymour family of New York and was designated as the
county seat. The site was named Concord. Two small frame buildings were then
constructed for the county offices on the Courthouse Square at a cost of $2,580.
Officers of the county were notified on December 4, 1865 that suitable offices
were ready.
Interest in a brick courthouse began to grow, and in 1867 a motion for the
construction of a brick building was presented by the Board of Supervisors,
defeated in an election; another petition was resubmitted and again sent to the
voters -- all in the span of just two months. On the second election, the motion
was passed by the voters, and construction of the new courthouse began in 1868.
Grover R. Maben was in charge of construction and he used brick and timber, both
of which came from his farm. The bricks were fired at his farm and the timber
cut from his grove and shipped to Waterloo for final cutting. The building cost
$10,000 and was ready for occupation in 1869.
The county seat remained in Concord for nearly 30 years, to the disgruntlement
of some Hancock residents. Then, in 1898, the highly organized residents of
Britt launched a campaign for the relocation of the county seat. They had plans
drawn up, pictures of the proposed building, land ready for construction, and,
more importantly, $25,000. The residents of Garner countered this action by
annexing Concord (just one mile south of Garner) and contributing $30,000 for
the purchase of a land and construction cost.
After many legal battles and verbal exchanges, construction began in Garner.
Architect F. W. Kinney designed the building, and construction was done by Gross
Construction of La Crosse, Wisc. The new courthouse was turned over to the
county on November 15, 1899.
In the meantime, the county officers remained in Concord, and Britt did not
concede defeat. However, at a November 3, 1903 election, and by a vote of 2,057
for and 568 against, the Board of Supervisors finally declared Garner to be the
county seat and gave the county officers 30 days to move to the Garner
courthouse. Garner has been the home of county offices since that time.
Neighboring Counties:
- North: Winnebago County
- Northeast: Worth County
- East: Cerro Gordo County
- Southeast: Franklin County
- South: Wright County
- Southwest: Humboldt County
- Northwest: Kossuth County
Cities and Towns:
|
- Britt |
city |
Incorporated Area |
|
- Corwith |
city |
Incorporated Area |
|
- Crystal Lake |
city |
Incorporated Area |
|
- Garner
(County Seat) |
city |
Incorporated Area |
|
- Goodell |
city |
Incorporated Area |
|
- Kanawha |
city |
Incorporated Area |
|
- Klemme |
city |
Incorporated Area |
|
- Woden |
city |
Incorporated Area |
County Resources:
Enter County Resources and Information Here
|
|
County Resource Guide
|
|
|
The history of our nation can be seen as a prolonged struggle to define the relative roles and powers of our governments: federal, state, and local. And the names we've given our counties, our most locally based jurisdictions, reflects the "characteristic
features of our country!"
But age, size and colorful names of our counties isn't the only reason to explore counties' role in American history, or the history of county government itself. In fact, the story of county government reflects the larger meanings of American history.
Today's counties are the most flexible, locally responsive and creative governments in the US. They are the most diverse, varying in size, population, geography, and governmental structure. In their politics and policies, they express a 1990's political slogan "Think globally,
act locally." |
|
|
| |
|
