Woodbury County Court House

 We drove to Sioux City for a day of geocaching last week. Our first stop was at the Woodbury County Court House. Courthouses are usually interesting; sometimes it is the outside structure and sometimes it is the inside. This one was a total surprise on the inside. 

the only open entrance; there are two

the stained glass dome in the rotunda

not visible from the outside

arrowhead and leaf motif

repeated throughout all the glass works in the courthouse

murals by artist John Warner Norton (1876-1934)

four murals line the mezzanine level

the four murals were completed in 1919

the murals were painted on canvas in Norton's IL studio

and installed in the courthouse

white terra cotta accentuates the murals of the mezzanine level

the lights above the entrance

more terra cotta detail on the walls of the main floor

the original elevator to the four courtrooms on the second floor

some of the outside features 

the eagle on the eighth floor

the courthouse was built at a  cost of $825,641.23

about 50¢ per square foot

two bison on the alley side of the courthouse

more outside structure detail

even the lights along the sidewalk were unique

Public Safety Memorial next to the courthouse

The courthouse architectural style is Prairie School which originated in Chicago and developed in the 1890s.

the courthouse was started in 1916 and completed in 1918

it has 6 additional stories in the tower

The exterior design was quite radical compared to the stone or granite of typical courthouses of the time. Roman brick differing in size and color and sculptures above the two entrances make this structure unique on the outside.

Justice and Humanity

click to enlarge the photo to see more of the detail