Hardin County, Iowa

Hardin County Had First Female Sheriff

The 1935 Hardin County Board of Supervisors made a historic decision when, on March 26, it unanimously voted to appoint Mrs. William H. Thompson as Hardin County Sheriff. She was the first...and only...woman to serve in this capacity. She is believed to be the first female sheriff in the state of Iowa.

She was appointed to fill the unexpired term of her husband, William H. Thompson, who died on the operating table following a "throat attack," according to reports from the time. He had served three full terms as sheriff and had begun his fourth term in January 1935. At the time of the appointment, J.E. Davidson was deputy and he remained as chief deputy after the appointment was made. Eleven applications were received for the sheriff's position. Davidson was among the candidates, but specified that he be considered only "in case it did not affect Mrs. Thompson's chance of securing the appointment." Reports of the appointment noted that Davidson said he was satisfied with the action of the board in appointing Mrs. Thompson.

According to an Eldora newspaper account of the appointment, "The excellent record made by the former sheriff, together with the fact that he had just begun serving a term to which he had been elected by the highest majority given any candidate, and the additional fact of Mrs. Thompson's familiarity with the duties at the jail and her standing with the general public, let to her being selected. While some may question the qualification of any woman for this position, the supervisors felt that with Mr. Davidson as deputy, any possible handicap would be overcome and the county would be guaranteed an efficient administration of the duties of the office in every particular."

Under the agreement with Mrs. Thompson, had it been necessary to employ a man to assist Davidson for either part- or full-time, she agreed to bear the expense.

The Civil War Monument

A metal soldier guards the east half of the square, atop a monument to Hardin County servicemen who gave their lives in the War Between the States. The monument was built at the Western White Bronze Company, in Des Moines, and erected in 1885 at a cost of $3,000. Nameplates at the sides commemorate men who died in battle, or of disease. Plates also bear the names of Atlanta, Gettysburg, Shiloh, and Vicksburg - four great battlefields of the Civil War. Medallions of Washington, Lincoln, Grant, and Farragut also adorned the base. The Grant medallion was stolen during the last restoration of the monument.

Originally the monument stood at the center of the square, before the present courthouse was built. In those the days, the square was a public park. The city of Eldora deeded it to Hardin County after the 1890 courthouse contest. The Civil War monument has been moved and repaired several times, most recently in 1985, its centennial year.

The Present Hardin County Courthouse

The present courthouse was built by contractor J.F. Atkinson of Marshalltown for $48,000 in 1891 and 1892. T.D. Allen of Minneapolis was its architect. Allen also desgined the Dickenson and Franklin County Courthouses during these years. Architecturally the courthouse is an amalgamation of several styles. The imposing brick and stone edifice in common to Richardsonian Romanesque. Romanesque arches, resting upon polished red granite columns, grace the north and south entrances. But the corner turrets, hipped roof, cross gables, and cut stone trimmings are Queen Anne features. The building originally had size tall ornamental brick chimneys, and a small cupola, which are also Queen Anne traits. The imposing 128 foot high clock tower is reminiscent of Italian gothic town centers. The building exterior is composed of St. Louis pressed brick and pink Kasota stone. Semi-circular transoms adorn the upper middle east and west windows. These transoms feature the great seal of the State of Iowa, etched onto frosted glass. A statue depicting Justice, Mercy, and Liberty stands enshrined in an alcove beneath the clock tower.

The cornerstone was laid amidst Masonic ceremonies on April 20, 1892. County Auditor Stephen Whited wrote a detailed history of the prior courthouses. It, along with numerous other documents, was sealed in that cornerstone. The cornerstone bears the Masonic emblem. No record of the artifacts was kept.

In 1921, the Wisner Opera House, and Eldora showplace, caught fire and burned to the ground. Fire spread to the courthouse clock tower, reportedly on a pidgeon's flaming wings. The entire courthouse roof and clock were destroyed, but the fire was contained by the clock tower's iron floor.

The ravages of time had done their work when the State Fire Marshall reported the courthouse interior was unsafe in 1967. The next Grand Jury concurred, and reported that the courthouse had fallen into a sad state of disrepair. The citizens of the county responded by giving a bond issue for renovation their 75% approval in the 1968 general election. R.D. Steward, Inc. of Marshalltown received the contract for the project. Iowa State University Professor Donald McKeown served as the project architect. County officers were moved out during the renovation between July 1969 and October 1970.

Steel and concrete replaced the wooden floor and ceiling supports from the original construction. The octagon-shaped open rotunda between the first floor nad attic spire was filled in. Much of the original carved read oak woodwork was preserved and can still be seen in the rotunda area. An elevator was installed, and the wood window sashes were replaced with aluminum. The electrical wiring and heating systems were refurbished. The old courtroom received a complete make-over, with the judge's bench and bar being loaned to the Iowa State Fair in Des Moines. A round courtroom took its place, based upon a Frank Lloyd Wright courtroom in Calinfornia.

The final cost of reovation totalled $422,000, a bargain compared to the cost of a new building. But the people of Haridn County also showed a commitment to their heritage in saving their courthouse from the wrecking ball. A landscaping project followed with $45,000 in private donations, and Pioneer Plaza was dedicated in 1971.

The Hardin County Courthouse was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1981. It still stands as a monument to the pride which rural Iowans have always had in their communities.

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