Cass County

Cass County is an administrative division in southwestern Iowa covering about 565 square miles (1,463 square kilometers). Atlantic functions as the county seat and main administrative hub.

The county was established in 1851 and named after Lewis Cass, the 1848 Democratic presidential nominee and former governor of Michigan Territory. Mormon settlers had already begun establishing permanent communities here during the 1840s.

Mormon pioneers shaped the region by establishing their first communities here in the 1840s, leaving a lasting imprint on local settlement patterns. This heritage influenced how communities developed and how people organized themselves across the territory.

The county government office is located in Atlantic, where most administrative services can be accessed. Weekday visits are best for conducting official business or touring public buildings.

The courthouse in Atlantic was completed in 1934 and reflects the architectural style of that era. Later expansions in the 1980s allowed the addition of jail facilities, showing how the county adapted its main building to changing administrative needs.

Location: Iowa

Inception: 1851

Capital city: Atlantic

Shares border with: Audubon County, Montgomery County, Shelby County, Pottawattamie County, Adams County, Adair County, Guthrie County

Website: http://casscountyiowa.us

GPS coordinates: 41.32944,-94.92917

Latest update: December 15, 2025 13:21