The Madison County Courthouse is in Winterset, Iowa. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1981 as a part of the County Courthouses in Iowa Thematic Resource. It was included as a contributing property in the Winterset Courthouse Square Commercial Historic District in 2015. The courthouse is the third building the county has used for court functions and county administration.HistoryThe county's first courthouse was a log structure built in 1849 on Monumental Square in Winterset. The building was also used for a school, church, and resting spot for travelers. A stone courthouse was built and it included the jail on the second floor. It was destroyed in an 1875 fire.The present courthouse was built in 1876. The Renaissance Revival structure has four wings which join to form a Greek cross. A silver-colored dome reaches a height of 136 feet (41.5 m) into the air and it contains a 1500-pound (680.4 kg) bell. The interior features woodwork of solid walnut. The building was built for about $120,000.
