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Iowa Counties
There are ninety-nine counties in Iowa. The first two counties, Des Moines County and Dubuque County, were created in 1834 when Iowa was still part of the Michigan Territory. In preparation for Michigan's statehood, part of Michigan Territory was formed into Wisconsin Territory in 1836]. Two years later, the western portion was split off to become Iowa Territory. The south-eastern part of Iowa Territory became Iowa, the 29th state in the union, on 28 December 1846, by which point 44 Counties had been created. Counties continued to be created by the state government until 1857, when the last county, Humboldt County, was created.Webster County, Iowa
Webster County Education, Geography, and History
Webster County is a county located in the state of Iowa. Based on the 2010 census, the
population was 38,013. The county
seat is Fort
Dodge. The county was created January 15, 1851. Webster
county is named after Daniel Webster, an American
statesman, senator and United States Secretary of State.
Webster County comprises the Fort Dodge, IA Micropolitan Statistical Area.
Etymology - Origin of Webster County Name
Webster county is named for Daniel Webster, the statesman, senator, and United States Secretary of State.
Demographics:
County QuickFacts: CensusBureau Quick Facts
Webster County History
Webster County is a combination of
two counties: Yell and Risley. Late in the fall of 1852, the citizens of both
counties petitioned the Legislature to combine both counties into one county;
and on December 1, 1852, the Legislature passed an Act that did just that. The
county was named in honor of the American statesman Daniel Webster or the
indigenous Iowa Indian tribe.
In 1853 a commission was appointed to locate a county seat for the newly formed
Webster County, and the site they chose was named Homer. The land was owned by
the government, but the county officers took possession of it and had it "run
out" into town lots. It was not until October 14, 1854 that the county obtained
title to the land.
The first courthouse was built in Homer, and the first court was held in Homer.
Homer was a thriving and growing community of 600, so when the smaller community
of Fort Dodge challenged them for the county seat, they gave it little concern.
An election was held, and Fort Dodge came out on top by 13 votes. Illegal voting
and ballot-box stuffing was involved, but records were so bad that the election
was never contested.
After the county seat was officially moved to Fort Dodge, a courthouse was
needed there. An election was held, and, by a majority of 199 votes, it was
decided that a courthouse would be built. The building cost $39,450, and it was
constructed by A. V. Lambert of Fort Dodge. The cornerstone was laid on May 8,
1859. The current courthouse was officially dedicated on September 12, 1902.
The 99th anniversary celebration of the Webster County Courthouse on Sept. 14,
2001 marked the end of the two decades and millions of dollars spent to blend
the charm of the past with functional requirements of the future. The remodeling
project was funded by a tax levy equaling 2 mills or two-tenths of a penny.
Courthouse repairs and specification plans began in 1980 when the jail was
removed from the courthouse and located in the Law Enforcement Center at a cost
of $98,780. The process of cleaning and repairing the limestone exterior of the
building was started in 1985 due to reported "popouts" or holes caused by
moisture. The copper clock tower was also restored at this time, the outside
atrium skylight was replaced and flat or sloped roof areas were replaced. The
price of the exterior restoration done within that year totaled more than
$300,000.
With the outside refurbished to reflect its original stateliness, the idea of
refinishing the inside of the courthouse took root in the minds of county
officials. The next four phases of indoor renovation updated and renewed the
working spaces of county offices, departments and courtrooms. The cost of the
first four phases of renovation were funded with nearly $1.7 million in property
tax reserves set aside in the county budget. Each phase was completed between
four and eight months, ultimately taking a total of 10 years to be totally
finished.
The final phase of renovation was aimed at renovating the second and third
floors as well as bringing the courthouse into compliance with the American
Disabilities Act. This last portion of work contained the most expensive
undertakings in the project and was funded by a $2.5 million bond issue approved
by county voters in November 1996. The grand total of renovating the courthouse
so that it reflected its prestigious past while accommodating its future needs
equaled nearly $4.3 million and was a labor that took more than 20 years to
complete.
After the completion of the remodeling, on September 14, 2001, Webster County
held a rededication of the Webster County Courthouse. The rededication was
planned and presented by the Webster County Board of Supervisors, the Webster
County Historical Society and the Fort Dodge Dragoons. It was well attended by
the public and tours were conducted throughout the day.
Sources:
Clarke, S. J. History of Hamilton and Webster County, vol.1 , 1912
Alan Wooters, Deputy County Auditor, 2002
Geography: Land and Water
As reported by the Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 718 square miles (1,860 km2), of which 716 square miles (1,850 km2) is land and 2.8 square miles (7.3 km2) (0.4%) is water.
Webster county is located close to the center of Iowa.
Neighboring Counties
Bordering counties are as follows:
- North: Humboldt County
- Northeast: Wright County
- East: Hamilton County
- Southeast: Boone County
- Southwest: Greene County
- West: Calhoun County
- Northwest: Pocahontas County
Education
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