Anamosa - A Reminiscence 1838 - 1988

for an estimated cost of $157,000. Contracts under
sealed bids were subsequently let in the aggregate
amount of $166,837, and the issuance of $93,000 of
general obligation bonds of the county was authorized
at an interest rate of 4 per cent, later reduced to 2 per
cent. At subsequent intervals. smaller contracts were
let for furnishings of the offices and the jail, grading and
miscellaneous expenses, and the total outlay to the
county. including the federal grant, was somewhat less
than 8200.000. The minimum wages set out in the
specifications were 40 cents per hour for common
labor, 80 cents per hour for skilled labor, with
intermediate rates for unclassified work.
Work under the contracts progressed on schedule,
and the new building soon began to take shape and the
grading of the site was accomplished. With the
construction and furnishing of the building completed.
the supervisors fixed Sept. 10. 1937. as the date for the
dedication of the courthouse. That date was exactly
two years after the date the special election for the new
courthouse was held. A committee, consisting of 38
citizens from all over the county, was formed for the
organization of the dedication. The new courthouse
was complete and furnished. The old courthouse
quarters had been vacated. and all the county records
and books moved to the new building. Excitement and
anticipation of the event grew as the completion date
neared, and as it became increasingly evident that the
entire project had been well-handled by the
supervisors, the architects and the contract suppliers.
Weekly items in the county papers kept the public welllnforrned
as to the progress of the building. with
increasing particularity as the time for the dedication
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neared.
The supervisors published an invitation to all of the
citizens of the county to attend the dedication. stating,
in part,“your new courthouse is presented for your
approval." People, in general, felt that the county had
gotten its money's worth, as indeed it had.
Congratulatory messages and advertisements
appeared in the papers, and much publicity was given
to the upcoming event.
More than 6000 people attended the dedication
ceremonies, and 3300 citizens signed the register. The
crowd began gathering at the courthouse grounds in
the forenoon and a constant stream of people toured the
completed and furnished offices. A band of 250
musicians. from the schools and municipal bands in
the county, entertained the crowd prior to the
scheduled program. One county paper described the
site as ‘swarming with people.‘
Those conducting the dedication stood on a platform
near the east entrance to the building. The program
began with an introduction by Chairman Glen J.
McLaughlin, Anamosa attorney, followed, in turn, by
addresses by Gov. Nelson G. Herschel, Hon. J.M.
Parsons, Anamosa native: and members of the
Supreme Court of Iowa: Hon. F.O. Ellison. a highly
respected citizen and judge of the Eighteenth Judicial
District; J.W. Doxee of Monticello, Jones County's
oldest practicing attorney: and P.F. Hopkins, State
Director of Public Works Administration. Formal
dedication of the courthouse was made by H.J.
Mayberry, Chairman of the County Supervisors, and
the building was accepted for the citizens of the county
by Louis Lorenzen of Hale Township.
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Eariy photo of the Jones county ojficiais.
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