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Iowa State...
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Iowa Counties
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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.
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Page County, Iowa
Page County History, Geography, Demographics, Cities and Towns, and Education
County Seat: Clarinda
Year Organized: 1847
Square Miles: 535 |
Court House: 112 East Main Street
County Courthouse
Clarinda, IA 51632-2141
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Etymology - Origin of County Name
Page is named for John Page, a captain in the Mexican-American War.
Demographics:
County QuickFacts: Census Bureau Quick
Facts
History
The county is named for John Page,
captain in the 4th US Infantry, who was wounded in the Battle of Palo Alto in
the Mexican War.
The county was established in 1847 and formally organized in 1851 by William
Hudson, who had been appointed organizing sheriff by the Third General Assembly
of the State.
The first district court was located at Boulware's Mill on the Nodaway River.
Court was held on September 22, 1851, in the home of Philip Boulware, in the
mill, a small shanty, in Cottonwood Schoolhouse and even in the general store.
The General Assembly declared Clarinda the county seat on December 22, 1852. The
town is named for Clarinda Buck, who carried water to the surveyors and was
popular amongst the early settlers.
A temporary courthouse was built in 1856. It was a two-story, wood frame
building that also housed the post office. In 1873 the Board of Supervisors
passed a resolution to erect a two-story courthouse at a cost of $7,456.16.
In 1885 a contract was awarded for the amount of $71,000. The third courthouse
was constructed of brick and stone. The building was completed on December 19,
1887 with an actual cost of $86,500. A four-faced clock sat on top of a large
tower. The tower was removed in 1950. In 1985, the cornerstone was removed, and
the papers and documents contained within were placed on display. The
cornerstone was relaid by the Grand Lodge of Masons of Iowa on July 4, 1985, 100
years after the original laying date.
On December 11, 1991 this courthouse was involved in a fire possibly caused by
faulty wiring. In the fire the county lost its ornate judge's bench and all the
furniture that sat in the 19th century courtroom, a collection of presidential
portraits, law books and a large stained glass window. All records were saved,
but some were water damaged from the 500,000 gallons of water used to extinguish
the blaze. Those records went through a freeze-dry process and are still in use.
The county set up offices in the old Sernett department store building, which it
purchased for $200,000. A successful $875,000 bond election was held in the
August, 1992 to determine if bonds could be issued for restoration purposes.
Voters approved the restoration by an 85% majority and conversion of unused
third floor attic space to offices. The building was insured for $1.5 million
and the contents were covered for more than $250,000.
The courthouse was rededicated June 5, 1994. The courthouse now has central air,
fire alarm, and a sprinkler system. Offices found in the basement prior to the
fire were moved to the third floor. The clocktower, which is the same height as
the courthouse, was restored with private donations.
Page County was honored with the second annual David E. Archie Award of
Preservation by The Iowan Magazine, an honor given for dedication to preserving
the past. On April 25, 2001, Page County celebrated its 150th anniversary with a
special program, display, and coffee at the Courthouse. During the summer of
2002, the exterior of the Courthouse is undergoing a complete renovation of
tuckpointing and repair.
Neighboring Counties:
- North: Montgomery County
- Northeast: Adams County
- East: Taylor County
- Southeast: Nodaway County, Mo.
- Southwest: Atchison County, Mo.
- West: Fremont County
- Northwest: Mills County
Cities and Towns:
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- Blanchard |
city |
Incorporated Area |
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- Braddyville |
city |
Incorporated Area |
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- Clarinda
(County Seat) |
city |
Incorporated Area |
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- Coin |
city |
Incorporated Area |
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- College Springs |
city |
Incorporated Area |
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- Essex |
city |
Incorporated Area |
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- Hepburn |
city |
Incorporated Area |
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- Northboro |
city |
Incorporated Area |
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- Shambaugh |
city |
Incorporated Area |
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- Shenandoah |
city |
Incorporated Area |
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- Yorktown |
city |
Incorporated Area |
County Resources:
Enter County Resources and Information Here
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County Resource Guide
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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." |
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