Cass County Courthouse

The Cass County Courthouse is a three-story county court building in Atlantic with walls of buff-colored brick and limestone trim throughout. Its interior corridors feature multi-colored terrazzo floors that extend through the central areas.

The courthouse was completed in 1934 and replaced an earlier building that burned in 1932 during the Great Depression. The reconstruction was part of recovery efforts during that difficult economic period.

The design shows PWA Moderne style with symmetrical facades and decorative metal grills on the tall courtroom windows. These careful details reflect the goal of creating public buildings that conveyed dignity and permanence to visitors.

The building is located on West 7th Street in Atlantic and is easy to reach on foot. Visitors should come during regular business hours and remember this is an active courthouse with limited public access.

This was the first courthouse in Iowa funded by President Franklin D. Roosevelt's Public Works Administration program. That support helped many communities complete important public projects during the Depression era.

Location: Iowa

Architectural style: PWA Moderne

GPS coordinates: 41.40333,-95.01444

Latest update: December 14, 2025 18:03