The Benton County Courthouse, located in Vinton, Iowa, United States, was built in 1906. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1976 as a part of the County Courthouses in Iowa Thematic Resource. The courthouse is the fourth building the county has used for court functions and county administration.HistoryBenton County’s first courthouse was a log structure, but it did not have a roof or floor, so the court met in a log home during inclement weather. Because of a dispute over the location of the county seat the second courthouse stood unfinished until 1852, and was destroyed by fire the following year. The county’s third courthouse was built at a cost of $13,000 and dedicated in December 1856. The present courthouse was completed in 1906 for $105,000.ArchitectureDesigned by Bell & Detweiler of Minneapolis, the Beaux Arts style building features a 112ft central tower. It contains a four-faced illuminated clock, a 1,500lb B-flat bell and is topped with a dome. The exterior of the building is clad in Buckeye gray sandstone.
