Louisa County Courthouse
Middle Wapello was originally
chosen to be the county seat and the first courthouse was built of cottonwood
logs. This building was privately owned. A county-built courthouse was
constructed from brick and completed in 1840.
By 1846, many citizens
felt that a better courthouse was needed and a new facility was completed in
1854. The final cost of the courthouse was $9,577.69.
The citizens of Columbus
Junction were eager to attain the honor of county seat for their town in 1872. They
raised $25,000 and erected a two-story brick building to be used as a
courthouse, but Columbus Junction lost the battle for the county seat and the
building was used as a schoolhouse.
The present Louisa County
courthouse was built in Wapello, in 1928 on the same site as the 1854
courthouse, which was torn down. The two-story building is made of tan colored
bricks and trimmed with stone. The cost of the present structure was about
$100,000.