It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1981 as a part of the County Courthouses in Iowa Thematic Resource.

[2] The courthouse there was a brick building on a stone foundation that also served as a schoolhouse.

[3] In order to raise funds for the courthouse, the county sold swamp land in 1859.

The present courthouse was designed by the Des Moines architectural firm of Proudfoot, Bird & Rawson in the Neoclassical style.

The exterior features a rather severe form of Neoclassicism with its restrained detailing.