Built in 1873 (Renaissance Revival architecture). Listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1971.
“The Chase County Courthouse in Cottonwood Falls, Kansas, was built in 1873 and is the oldest operating courthouse in Kansas.”
Wikipedia article Chase County Courthouse (Kansas), CC BY-SA 4.0.
One of 21 National Register listings published here for Chase County · listed in 1971 · category: Building · built in 1873, Renaissance Revival architecture, by John G. Haskell.
Sources: the Wikipedia article · the National Register database, National Park Service
Regional context, not property-specific evidence. The federal wildfire occurrence database lists 16 fires within 5 miles of Chase County Courthouse between 2010 and 2016, burning about 8,949 acres in total. None started naturally. 1 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 |
|---|---|
| Debris and open burning | 9 |
| Missing data/not specified/undetermined | 3 |
| Equipment and vehicle use | 2 |
| Arson/incendiarism | 1 |
| Smoking | 1 |
The most recent of them, most recent first, with the day each was reported and the service that recorded it.
| Date | Cause | Size | Reported by | Name on the report |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 21 July 2011 | Equipment and vehicle use | 19 acres | Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve | CEMETARY |
| 7 April 2015 | Debris and open burning | 40 acres | Kansas Forest Service | 26 |
| 4 April 2015 | Debris and open burning | 60 acres | Kansas Forest Service | 24 |
| 21 April 2015 | Debris and open burning | 25 acres | Kansas Forest Service | 30 |
| 15 April 2014 | Debris and open burning | 2,095 acres | Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve | FOX CREEK |
| 14 April 2016 | Missing data/not specified/undetermined | 121 acres | Chase County | 2 SECTION |
| 14 April 2015 | Debris and open burning | 2,066 acres | Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve | 15 TWO SECTION EAST TRAPS |
| 10 April 2012 | Missing data/not specified/undetermined | 936 acres | Flint Hills National Wildlife Refuge | CRUSHER HILL 2 |
Regional context, not property-specific evidence. The federal mineral resources record lists 1 working within 5 miles of Chase County Courthouse: 1 producer. All of them still produce. What was taken out: Stone, Crushed/Broken. Distance is straight-line from the map coordinates, so a quarry counted here may appear on a neighbouring settlement's page as well.
| Where | Site | Commodity | Status | Recorded |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Biggs Quarry | Stone, Crushed/Broken | Producer |
Regional context, not property-specific evidence. The National Weather Service names Cottonwood Falls, the town this property stands in, in 94 storm reports between 1997 and 2026: 46 hail, 37 thunderstorm wind, 4 flash flood, 2 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.
| When | Event | Place named | Harm | What the report says |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| August 2009 | Thunderstorm Wind | Cottonwood Falls | $25,000 | Many large trees were knocked down throughout town. |
| August 2019 | Lightning | Cottonwood Falls | $15,000 | The lightning struck a camper. The camper was subsequently destroyed with only one wall left standing. No injuries were reported. The report was received courtesy of radio station KVOE. This was a delayed report. |
| May 1998 | Thunderstorm Wind | Cottonwood Falls | $10,000 | Shed blown down. Tree damage. |
| May 1998 | Thunderstorm Wind | Cottonwood Falls | $10,000 | One-two foot diameter tree limbs broken off and doors blown off barns. |
| April 2023 | Tornado (EF1) | Cottonwood Falls | $5,000 | The sixth tornado produced by the supercell tracked across the town of Cottonwood Falls producing EF1 damage, mainly to trees and minor damage to roof structures. |
| July 2008 | Thunderstorm Wind | Cottonwood Falls | $5,000 | Several large trees were blown down from high winds. Winds were estimated to be at least 65 mph. |
| April 2006 | Hail | Cottonwood Falls | $5,000 | The hail broke out windows of historic buildings which are part of the Tallgrass Prairie Preserve. |
| March 2017 | Thunderstorm Wind | Cottonwood Falls | $4,000 | Power poles were reported down. |
| June 2009 | Thunderstorm Wind | Cottonwood Falls | $2,000 | A 3 to 4 foot diameter tree fell across the road. |
| May 2023 | Thunderstorm Wind | Cottonwood Falls | $1,000 | Power lines were reported down. |
| August 2010 | Thunderstorm Wind | Cottonwood Falls | $100 | A few 3 to 4-inch diameter tree limbs were downed. |
| April 2026 | Hail | Cottonwood Falls | - | Report was received courtesy of KSN, and it was supported by law enforcement. |
| May 2025 | Thunderstorm Wind | Cottonwood Falls | - | Sporadic damage reported across the county with trees, tree limbs, and privacy fences knocked down. A metal roof was partially blown off in Cottonwood Falls. |
| April 2023 | Tornado (EF0) | Cottonwood Falls | - | This was the seventh tornado of the event. Damage was limited to trees and siding of homes. |
| April 2023 | Hail | Cottonwood Falls | - | This was reported via social media. |
| May 2023 | Hail | Cottonwood Falls | - | Penny-sized hail was reported on Highway 50 courtesy of KWCH. |
| May 2022 | Hail | Cottonwood Falls | - | In addition to the hail, there were 60 to 70 mph winds that occurred. This did result in downed tree limbs. |
| May 2022 | Thunderstorm Wind | Cottonwood Falls | - | Law enforcement reported 60 to 70 mph winds and quarter sized hail. |
| March 2022 | Thunderstorm Wind | Cottonwood Falls | - | Trained spotter reported one inch and larger tree limbs that were downed by a thunderstorm wind gust. |
| November 2022 | Heavy Rain | Cottonwood Falls | - | A Coop observer reported 2.67 inches of rainfall. |
| December 2021 | Thunderstorm Wind | Cottonwood Falls | - | Tree limbs were blown down and light poles were knocked over. |
| May 2020 | Hail | Cottonwood Falls | - | Lots of hail was reported. |
| August 2018 | Hail | Cottonwood Falls | - | Leaves and twigs were stripped. |
| August 2018 | Thunderstorm Wind | Cottonwood Falls | - | No damage was reported. |
| August 2018 | Thunderstorm Wind | Cottonwood Falls | - | The wind-driven rains caused no-zero visibilities. |
| July 2015 | Hail | Cottonwood Falls | - | The hail was pea to quarter size. |
| July 2013 | Flood | Cottonwood Falls | - | Numerous roads across the county were flooded. |
| June 2011 | Thunderstorm Wind | Cottonwood Falls | - | A train was derailed due to the strong winds. |
| June 2011 | Thunderstorm Wind | Cottonwood Falls | - | Strong winds destroyed a greenhouse and blew out several tree limbs. |
| June 2011 | Thunderstorm Wind | Cottonwood Falls | - | Estimated gust reported by a trained spotter. |
| June 2011 | Thunderstorm Wind | Cottonwood Falls | - | Estimated gust reported by a trained spotter. |
| April 2010 | Thunderstorm Wind | Cottonwood Falls | - | Spotter estimated pea to half inch sized hail with the 50 to 60 mph winds. |
| June 2009 | Heavy Rain | Cottonwood Falls | - | Rainfall measured 2.00 inches. |
| June 2009 | Thunderstorm Wind | Cottonwood Falls | - | A trained spotter estimated the winds. |
| July 2008 | Thunderstorm Wind | Cottonwood Falls | - | High winds picked up suddenly from the south. |
| April 2008 | Hail | Cottonwood Falls | - | Winds up to 60 mph accompanied the hail. |
| April 2008 | Thunderstorm Wind | Cottonwood Falls | - | Quarter size hail accompanied the wind. |
| February 2007 | Hail | Cottonwood Falls | - | Hail covered the ground. |
| March 2007 | Flood | Cottonwood Falls | - | High water was reported over several rural roads and some town roads countywide. |
| June 2007 | Flash Flood | Cottonwood Falls | - | Widespread 4 to 8 inch rainfall amounts occurred across mainly the southeastern half of Chase County from June 28th through the 30th, producing widespread flooding of county and secondary roads. |
| April 2006 | Thunderstorm Wind | Cottonwood Falls | - | Occurred with nickel sized hail. |
| May 2006 | Hail | Cottonwood Falls | - | Occurred with estimated 40 to 50 mph winds. |
| May 2005 | Flash Flood | Cottonwood Falls | - | Several county roads under water. |
| June 2005 | Flash Flood | Cottonwood Falls | - | Water was reported to be covering the road. |
| August 2005 | Flash Flood | Cottonwood Falls | - | Widespread flash flooding of county roads in and around town. |
| June 2004 | Thunderstorm Wind | Cottonwood Falls | - | Several six inch tree limbs were blown down. |
| August 2001 | Thunderstorm Wind | Cottonwood Falls | - | Limbs downed. |
| April 2026 | Hail | Cottonwood Falls | - | no account filed |
| April 2023 | Hail | Cottonwood Falls | - | no account filed |
| March 2017 | Hail | Cottonwood Falls | - | no account filed |
| March 2017 | Hail | Cottonwood Falls | - | no account filed |
| April 2016 | Hail | Cottonwood Falls | - | no account filed |
| March 2011 | Hail | Cottonwood Falls | - | no account filed |
| March 2011 | Hail | Cottonwood Falls | - | no account filed |
| March 2011 | Hail | Cottonwood Falls | - | no account filed |
| May 2011 | Hail | Cottonwood Falls | - | no account filed |
| April 2009 | Thunderstorm Wind | Cottonwood Falls | - | no account filed |
| June 2009 | Hail | Cottonwood Falls | - | no account filed |
| June 2009 | Hail | Cottonwood Falls | - | no account filed |
| June 2009 | Hail | Cottonwood Falls | - | no account filed |
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.
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 | Property | Distance | Listed |
|---|---|---|---|
 | Cartter Building | 0.1 miles | 1977 |
 | Chase County National Bank | 0.1 miles | 1977 |
| Cottonwood Falls Grade School | 0.3 miles | 2021 | |
 | Cottonwood River Bridge | 0.3 miles | 1985 |
| Wood House | 1.2 miles | 1974 | |
 | Strong City Atchison, Topeka, & Santa Fe Depot | 1.7 miles | 2007 |
| National Archives record | The nomination case file for reference 71000304 in Record Group 79. |
| Wikipedia article | Community-written account of this property, licensed CC BY-SA. |
| Chase County | All 21 listed properties in this county. |
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