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Photograph of Calhoun County Courthouse
Photograph by Nst101, CC BY-SA 4.0. Via Wikimedia Commons.

Calhoun County Courthouse

Built in 1914 (Neoclassical architecture). Listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1981.

From the record

“The Calhoun County Courthouse, located in Rockwell City, Iowa, United States, was built in 1914. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1981 as a part of the County Courthouses in Iowa Thematic Resource.”

Wikipedia article Calhoun County Courthouse (Iowa), CC BY-SA 4.0.

One of 13 National Register listings published here for Calhoun County · listed in 1981 · category: Building · built in 1914, Neoclassical architecture.

Sources: the Wikipedia article · the case file at the National Archives · the National Register database, National Park Service

The listing

  • What is counted as historic. The nomination lists 1 building as contributing to the listing.
  • Address. Court and 4th Sts., Rockwell City, 50579
  • When was it listed? July 1981
  • Category. building
  • Also known as. County Courthouses in Iowa TR
  • Township. Twin Lakes township
  • When was it built? 1914
  • Architectural style. Neoclassical architecture
  • National Register reference number. 81000227 - the number the National Park Service assigned this property when it was listed, and the key its nomination file is catalogued under at the National Archives.

Fires near this property

13 since 2010

Regional context, not property-specific evidence. The federal wildfire occurrence database lists 13 fires within 5 miles of Calhoun County Courthouse between 2010 and 2019, burning about 120 acres in total. None started naturally. None was recorded as arson. Distance is straight-line from the map coordinates, so a fire counted here may appear on a neighbouring settlement's page as well.

Reported cause Fires
Missing data/not specified/undetermined5
Smoking3
Debris and open burning3
Equipment and vehicle use2

The most recent of them, most recent first, with the day each was reported and the service that recorded it.

DateCause SizeReported by Name on the report
27 September 2012Equipment and vehicle use1.0 acresIowa Department of Natural Resourcesnot named
7 June 2019Missing data/not specified/undeterminedunder an acreIowa Department of Natural Resourcesnot named
15 June 2016Smokingunder an acreIowa Department of Natural ResourcesROCKWELL CITY FIRE DEPT
22 May 2016Smokingunder an acreIowa Department of Natural ResourcesROCKWELL CITY FIRE DEPT
26 April 2019Debris and open burning25 acresIowa Department of Natural Resourcesnot named
20 April 2019Smokingunder an acreIowa Department of Natural Resourcesnot named
16 April 2019Debris and open burning1.0 acresIowa Department of Natural Resourcesnot named
6 March 2017Debris and open burning2.0 acresIowa Department of Natural Resourcesnot named

Every fire recorded in Calhoun County

Mines and quarries near this property

2 within 5 miles

Regional context, not property-specific evidence. The federal mineral resources record lists 2 workings within 5 miles of Calhoun County Courthouse: 2 past producers. None of them still produces. What was taken out: Sand and Gravel, Construction. Distance is straight-line from the map coordinates, so a quarry counted here may appear on a neighbouring settlement's page as well.

Where SiteCommodity StatusRecorded
Drennan PitSand and Gravel, ConstructionPast Producer
Tapps PitSand and Gravel, ConstructionPast Producer

Every working recorded in Calhoun County

Storms near this property

60 of 79 shown

Regional context, not property-specific evidence. The National Weather Service names Rockwell City, the town this property stands in, in 79 storm reports between 1994 and 2024: 30 hail, 25 thunderstorm wind, 12 heavy rain, 4 flood. No death or injury is recorded in these reports. Each account below is quoted exactly as the forecast office filed it, from the NOAA Storm Events Database, and each date opens the federal record of that event.

WhenEvent Place namedHarm What the report says
June 2014HailRockwell City$500,000no account filed
July 2010Flash FloodRockwell City$250,000Highway 4 south of Rockwell City is closed due to flooding. Humpty Dumpty Park in Rockwell City is flooded. Water reported in numerous basements in Manson.
June 2014HailRockwell City$250,000no account filed
June 2014HailRockwell City$150,000Windshields broken in cars across Rockwell City.
June 1996Flash FloodRockwell City$150,000no account filed
April 1998FloodRockwell City$50,000no account filed
June 1998FloodRockwell City$50,000no account filed
June 1996FloodRockwell City$30,000no account filed
June 2014HailRockwell City$25,000no account filed
May 2021LightningRockwell City$20,000Emergency management reported a lightning strike to the the county court house, resulting in over 20,000 dollars in damage.
June 2015Thunderstorm WindRockwell City$20,000Multiple large tree branches down in and around Rockwell City.
June 2014HailRockwell City$20,000no account filed
July 2016Thunderstorm WindRockwell City$15,000Trained spotter reported numerous large branches, 3 to 4 inches in diameter, down in town along with a couple of trees, 9 to 12 inches in diameter, down. Also reported power lines down, but unknown if the cause were the downed trees. Delayed report, time radar estimated.
September 2016Flash FloodRockwell City$15,000Local law enforcement reported a car stalled/stranded after driving through flooded roads. Delayed report.
August 2009HailRockwell City$15,000no account filed
May 1998HailRockwell City$10,000Tree damage caused by the hail
June 2014HailRockwell City$10,000no account filed
July 2003HailRockwell City$10,000no account filed
May 1998HailRockwell City$10,000no account filed
June 1997Thunderstorm WindRockwell City$10,000no account filed
June 1996FloodRockwell City$10,000no account filed
March 2017Thunderstorm WindRockwell City$5,000Trained spotter reported two inch branches blown over along with tine blown off metal buildings and doors blown off of a grain elevator.
July 2012Thunderstorm WindRockwell City$5,000Branches and power lines down in the area.
May 1994HailRockwell City$5,000A weak cold front sagged southeast into Iowa during the afternoon of the 4th. The dynamics were not very strong with the system, however the wind shear was sufficient enough to produce severe weather. Low level winds were from the south-southeast with the middle and upper level flow fairly strong northwest. Thunderstorms erupted during the afternoon. The early storms produced a tornado over Emmet County. The tornado tracked across several miles of open country before lifting north of Armstrong. No significant damage was reported as the track was over bare ground. The main severe weather associated with the storms was hail. Although the storms did produce gusty winds in the 40 to 50 mph range, no severe winds were reported. Golf ball-size hail fell north of Armstrong from the storm that produced the tornado. Other storms formed in a line extending southwest from the tornadic cell. Golf ball-size hail was also reported in Clay County at Royal. As the storms progressed further southeast, the hail size diminished but not the amount. What began as marble-size hail at Sioux Rapids in Buena Vista County grew to over an inch in diameter. The hail fell for about a half hour, accumulating to a depth of two to four inches. Hail accumulated to a depth of six inches in the town of Royal, giving the town a winter like appearance. Pea-size hail covered the ground north of Algona and also in the northwest corner of Calhoun County. In Calhoun County, southwest of Rockwell City, dime-size hail accumulated to a depth of one inch. By the late afternoon hours, the hail size had diminished to one-half inch or less. The storms tracked as far southeast as central Iowa before dissipating.
June 2008Thunderstorm WindRockwell City$5,000no account filed
September 2005Thunderstorm WindRockwell City$5,000no account filed
August 2010Thunderstorm WindRockwell City$3,000Two large trees down in town.
May 2001HailRockwell City$3,000no account filed
May 2001HailRockwell City$3,000no account filed
July 1998Thunderstorm WindRockwell City$3,000no account filed
August 2010HailRockwell City$2,000Quarter size hail was reported at the police station.
March 2006Thunderstorm WindRockwell City$2,000no account filed
August 2004Thunderstorm WindRockwell City$2,000no account filed
May 2001HailRockwell City$2,000no account filed
June 1999Thunderstorm WindRockwell City$2,000no account filed
June 1998Thunderstorm WindRockwell City$2,000no account filed
September 2018Thunderstorm WindRockwell City$1,000Trained spotter reported up to 10 inch diameter tree branches down.
August 2016Thunderstorm WindRockwell City$1,000Trained spotter reported several 3 to 5 inch diameter tree branches down throughout Rockwell City. Delayed report and time estimated from radar.
August 2008HailRockwell City$1,000Hail was dime to quarter size along with heavy rain.
March 2005HailRockwell City$1,000no account filed
May 1999HailRockwell City$1,000no account filed
May 1999HailRockwell City$1,000no account filed
June 1998Thunderstorm WindRockwell City$1,000no account filed
June 1998Thunderstorm WindRockwell City$1,000no account filed
May 1999HailRockwell City$500no account filed
June 1998HailRockwell City$200no account filed
May 2024HailRockwell City-Spotter submitted photo of quarter sized hail in Rockwell City. Time of occurrence was estimated from radar.
May 2024Thunderstorm WindRockwell City-Semi blown over and trees down near Rockwell City.
March 2020HailRockwell City-Emergency management reported quarter-sized hail.
March 2020HailRockwell City-Trained spotter reported ping pong ball sized hail.
July 2020Funnel CloudRockwell City-Law enforcement reported a brief funnel halfway to the ground before dissipating.
August 2020Thunderstorm WindRockwell City-A trained spotter reported 8 inch tree limbs down, power lines down, and trees down all over town.
August 2020Thunderstorm WindRockwell City-No LSRs were transmitted from within the county during the August 10 derecho event. However, it is estimated by the NWS that areas of the county experienced severe winds and associated damage based on surrounding county LSRs and other available information.
July 2019Heavy RainRockwell City-Coop observer recorded heavy rainfall of 2.06 inches over the last 24 hours.
August 2018Heavy RainRockwell City-Coop observer recorded heavy rainfall of 2.47 inches over the last 24 hours.
June 2018HailRockwell City-Trained spotter reported nickel sized hail. Time estimated from radar.
June 2018Thunderstorm WindRockwell City-Trained spotter reported approximately 5 inch diameter tree branches down.
September 2018Thunderstorm WindRockwell City-Rockwell City Iowa RWIS station recorded 61 mph wind gusts.
March 2017Thunderstorm WindRockwell City-Trained spotter reported wind gusts to 60 mph along with nickel sized hail.
April 2017Heavy RainRockwell City-Coop observer report of 1.22 inches of rain over the past 24 hours and 1.91 inches over the past 48 hours.

Every storm recorded in Calhoun County

Map coverage status

No historic map-sheet match is published for this property yet. That does not mean no map exists. This record needs a coordinate-quality review before it can be joined to a sheet boundary. Browse the county's mapped places while that work is pending.

Listed places nearby

2 within 8 miles

Other National Register properties close enough to walk or drive between, ordered by distance from this one. Both positions come from the same geocoding pass that matched these properties to their map sheets.

Photograph PropertyDistance Listed
Perry C. and Mattie Forrest Holdoegel House0.1 miles1992
Rockwell City Bridge1.5 miles1998

Sources for this property

National Archives recordThe nomination case file for reference 81000227 in Record Group 79.
Wikipedia articleCommunity-written account of this property, licensed CC BY-SA.
Calhoun CountyAll 13 listed properties in this county.

Provenance

  • Listing record. National Park Service National Register of Historic Places, listed-properties dataset, current to 2026-05-22.
  • Map join. Address geocoded through the United States Census geocoder, then tested against the published boundary of every sheet in the USGS Historical Topographic Map Collection.
  • How this page is made. Listing fields come from federal records; map-sheet coverage is a labelled coordinate-to-boundary calculation, not a source-field claim.
  • Wildfire. Short, Karen C. 2022. Spatial wildfire occurrence data for the United States, 1992-2020 [FPA_FOD_20221014]. 6th Edition. Fort Collins, CO: Forest Service Research Data Archive. https://doi.org/10.2737/RDS-2013-0009.6 Collected with United States Government funding and usable without additional permissions or fees.
  • Mines and quarries. USGS Mineral Resources Data System (MRDS) https://mrdata.usgs.gov/mrds/ A work of the United States government, no copyright under 17 U.S.C. 105.
  • Storms. NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/stormevents/ A work of the United States government, no copyright under 17 U.S.C. 105. Narratives are quoted verbatim from the National Weather Service report and are not edited or summarised.