Otoe County Courthouse

Erected 1864

Photographed by Cosmos Mariner, July 3, 2021

1. Otoe County Courthouse Marker

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From the National Register Nomination prepared by Janet Jeffries, 10/1975:
A contract for a substantial county building was made August 13, 1864. A. G. Bassett, the architect, was paid $150 for his plans and specifications, and builders W. R. Craig and F. W. Wood were hired to start construction immediately. The Otoe County courthouse is the oldest public building in Nebraska which has been in continuous

Photographed by Cosmos Mariner, July 3, 2021

2. Otoe County Courthouse Marker

Looking southeast; the Otoe County Courthouse is in the background.

use since its completion.
The original 1865 structure makes up the center section of the present building. Entry to the building was originally gained through a central three-story tower on the east which was topped with a cupola of Moorish design. The main body of the building featured round arched windows at the corners and ends of the building on the first floor with segmentally arched windows along the sides (north and south facades). When originally constructed, the building housed the jail in the basement, county offices on the first floor and the District Courtroom on the entire second floor. Two wings were added to the courthouse, one ca. 1882, and the other in 1936. These additions are on the east and west ends of the 1865 structure, resulting in an H-shaped plan for the building.
The first addition was made at the west end, with minor alterations being made in the original structure to accommodate the change. Construction details were continued identical to the original. The main entrance at this time remained on the east. Later, as the need for more space became apparent, an identical two-story addition was made to the east

Photographed by Cosmos Mariner, July 3, 2021

3. Otoe County Courthouse Entrance (north elevation)

From the National Register Nomination:  The present-day form of the building, as altered, has a classical, rather Beaux-Arts character in the symmetry and disposition of the design elements. The original modified Italianate character of the building is still revealed in the 1865 details which continued to be used through all of the alterations. The only variance from this is seen in the stone "frontispiece" entrance on the north.

end of the building resulting in the present form. This addition was made in 1926 at a cost of $60,000 and resulted in major changes to the original building. The courtroom was moved to the second floor of the new addition, while the remainder of the original building was converted into office space. The original entrance tower was removed, and considerable alteration was made to the center of the north side of the original building to accommodate the new main entrance. A new cupola, remotely resembling the original, was built on the axes of the altered building.

Excerpt:  The building contains both the Nebraska City Court and the Otoe County Court along with the government and law enforcement offices of both. The courthouse is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and is the oldest public building in the state of Nebraska.

The original courthouse, a simple two-story building, was built in 1865 by William R. Craig and F. W. Wood, costing $22,500 at the time. This was a vast improvement upon its predecessors, consisting of small offices in local stores and a cabin at one point. The first addition was completed in 1882. This added a large wing to the square building where the courts and department offices are today. In 1936, an identical wing was added with similar purposes.

Photographed by Cosmos Mariner, July 3, 2021

4. Otoe County Courthouse (northeast elevation)

Photographed by William Fischer, Jr., February 12, 2012

5. Otoe County Courthouse Earlier Marker

Photographed by William Fischer, Jr., February 12, 2012

6. 10 Commandments Monument on Otoe County Courthouse Grounds

Fraternal Order of Eagles Aerie No. 968