Oregon County MO


Court House at Alton, Oregon County, Missouri: built 1871 by Presiding Judge of Oregon County Court A.C. Wilson; Associate Judge Dist. No. 1, Jacob Lower; Dist. No. 2 George W. Orchard, Clerk, Oregon County Court William C. Boyd, Superintendent of Finances, Col. John R. Woodside, Superintendent of Construction Capt. Samuel D. Greer. Contractor J.F. Kidwell: Contract price $5,795.00, ordered built on foundation of previous court house built in 1860, under supervision of John R. Woodside by contractor G.W. Reed for contract price of $4,000.00 Simpson Couch Presiding Judge of Oregon County Court. M.G. Norman County Clerk and was burned Oct. 21, 1863 after being vacated on that date by Union Forces.

See image #1 above.

The above pictured Court House with the Boyd dwelling left and the Alton Hotel on right served until 1903 when the Oregon County Court composed of Presiding Judge, Wright Simpson, Associate Judge Dist. No. 1, Benjamin Childres, Dist. No. 2 Carol Mauldin appointed Commissioners A.P. Couch; R.P. Young and Wade Heiskell to remodel this Court House and add a third floor. The Commissioners awarded the contract to W.E. Wadsworth, who on Sept. 7, 1903 requested the County officials move to the second floor of the Whitten Building on the Southeast corner of Court Square.

See image #2 above.

Courthouse built 1871 remodeled and the length extended on north and additional third floor added in 1903-1904 by court house Commissioners A.P. Couch, R.P. Young, Wade Heiskell; Contractor W.E. Wadsworth; Presiding Judge Oregon County Court Wright Simpson, Associate Judge Oregon County Court, 1st Dist. Benjamin Childers, Associate Judge Oregon County Court, 2nd Dist. H.C. Mauldin, Clerk of the Oregon County Court J.B. Johnson.

The Court appointed Alex Young Commissioner to lease the third story to Lodge No. 255 A.F. & A.M. in 1904 for a period of 99 years.

This Court house was vacated Oct. 9, 1939 and ordered wrecked to make way for a more modern structure.

The reader will note the shaw on the right wall where the new structure was blended in with the existing structure.

By Lewis A. W. Simpson. Oregon County's Three Flags Six County Seats via the Horse & Buggy, 2nd Edition.

Did you know?

  • The original courthouse was built in 1860 but was later burned in 1863 during the Civil War.
  • In 1939 the new courthouse was built by the Work Porjects Administration.