County of marker: Crawford County
Location of marker: Main St., courthouse lawn, Steelville
Marker text:
CRAWFORD COUNTY COURT HOUSE
History of the Courthouse
When Crawford Counties boundaries extended to include most of Phelps and part of Dent Counties, the county seat was located at the mouth of the Little Piney River. The court met in the two-story hewn-log house of James Harrison.
After a reduction in county size, a meeting to organize Crawford County took place on February 23, 1834. Liberty Hill served as a temporary county seat until the commissioners located the permanent seat at Steelville in 1835.
The county court records indicate no attempt at construction of a courthouse until May 1837. At that time M. W. Trask, superintendent of the courthouse provided a plan for a brick 1½ story courthouse that would measure about 26 by 30 feet. The court approved the plan, but apparently the building did not immediately proceed in spite of an $800 appropriation.
"When Crawford County's boundaries extended to include most of Phelps and part of Dent counties, the county seat was located at the mouth of the Little Piney River. The court met in the two-story, hewn-log house of James Harrison.
"After a reduction in county size, a meeting to organize Crawford County took place on Feb. 23, 1834. Liberty Hill served as a temporary county seat until the commissioners located the permanent seat at Steelville in 1835.
"The County Court Records indicate no attempt at construction of a courthouse until May 1837. At that time M. W. Trask, superintendent of the courthouse, provided a plan for a brick, 1-1/2-story courthouse that would measure about 26 by 30 feet. The court approved the plan, but apparently building did not immediately proceed in spite of an $800 appropriation.
"In August 1837 a clerk's office was being built, which the court intended to use, but in November the court was paying Simeon Frost rent for a house in which to hold court. In November of 1837 the court authorized purchase of land for the public square. Simeon Frost acted as commissioner and paid $80 for the lot.
"By May of the next year, 1838, the court authorized Trask to prepare a new plan for a 29-foot-square courthouse. In the spring of 1839 the two-story structure, built by Obadiah Ferguson, was completed; courts met there in May, although finishing continued for some time. The courtroom was completed in 1843-44.
"The second courthouse, built in 1857 on the same site, was two stories, brick, 36 by 48 feet, with stone foundation. The court appropriated $6,000 for this structure. Fire destroyed the building Feb. 15, 1873.
"J. J. Upchurch designed the fourth and present courthouse, which was built in 1885-86 (Figure 1). Hollow and Salzer received the contract for construction of the 71-by-36-foot, two-story, brick building which cost about $7,500. An addition made in 1974 was designed by Dan Mullen and built by Cyrus Dace." ~ University of Missouri Extension