Leaders held ten elections to determine the county seat before the American Civil War.

[4] In 1867, the Iowa Supreme Court finally settled the debate when it ruled that Waukon was the county seat.

The county board of supervisors applied for and received a grant in 1938 from the Public Works Administration (PWA) to pay for 45 percent of the construction costs for a new courthouse.

Bids for construction were submitted and reviewed in March 1939 and Rye & Henkel of Mason City, Iowa won the contract.

The interior features a monochromatic color palette and terrazzo floors that are laid out in large squares.