The long hot summer of 1892 heated up a little more during late July in Lucas County as the Aug. 9 election that would authorize the sale of $60,000 in bonds to build our present courthouse approached.
The old brick courthouse, built during 1858, had begun to collapse and had been evacuated a couple of years earlier. So there was no doubt a new courthouse was needed. But many thought $60,000 was far too extravagant; others were fearful that it was not nearly enough. And Russell, located in southeast Lucas County, developed a plan to build the new courthouse there and move the county seat.
The county supervisors employed the Des Moines architectural firm of Foster and Liebbe to work out a preliminary design for the building after considerable research and many site visits to other recently built courthouses in the region.
And this was the proposed design as it stood going into the election --- as published in The Chariton Herald of July 28, 1892, along with letters to the editor supporting and opposing the bond issue.
It's interesting to note that the original design called for a tower in the center of the north front of the building. As remains evident, that tower eventually was constructed at the northwest corner. I've not found an explanation for the change.
Lucas County voters on Aug. 9 approved the bond issue by a margin of 1,285 to 873. In Chariton, nary a vote was cast against, but down in Washington Township --- where Russell is located --- the vote was 266 against and only 8 in favor.
Ground was broken for the new building during the fall of 1892 and construction was completed in time for dedication during May of 1894. Total cost was --- $60,000. Here's how the new courthouse looked then:
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