Moniteau County Courthouse - Moniteau County Courthouse Square - California, MO
Posted by: 
YoSam.
N 38° 38.181 W 092° 33.894
15S E 537868 N 4276512
"The domed octagonal cupola, domed semicircular portico supported by curved brick columns of Corinthian order, 24-paned windows and fanlighted front door lend architectural interest to this classic revival styled building completed in 1868."-Marker
Waymark Code: WMKT40
Location: Missouri, United States
Date Posted: 05/26/2014
Views: 7
County of building: Moniteau County
Location of building: E. Main St. & N. East St., California
Organized: Feb. 14, 1845
Named after: The word "Moniteau" is a French derivation of the Indian word Manitou meaning the "Great Spirit."
County seat: California
"The first session of Moniteau County Court took place on Feb. 27, 1845, a few miles north of the present-day county seat. In May of the same year, Mr. and Mrs. A. T. Byler donated 50 acres in Boonesborough, an early name for California, which was designated as the county seat. The square was to contain one acre. In May 1846 the court ordered the sheriff to sell the old building on the public square.
"In September 1846 the court appropriated $2,500 for a two-story, brick courthouse with stone foundation to be built on the same site. The building contained two small offices on the south side, a large room on the north (apparently the courtroom), and one large room on the second floor, which was leased to a lodge in 1852. Albert Byler contracted the building of the 50-by-70-foot courthouse for $2,176.85. In April 1867, as the court prepared to build a second courthouse, they ordered the building sold to the highest bidder. H. C. Finke bought it for $550 and removed it.
"The court made an order in January 1867 for a new courthouse. William Vogdt was appointed to superintend construction, which the court estimated to cost about $45,000-$50,000. A new site was briefly considered, but in February 1867 the court chose the site of the previous courthouse. The commissioners received bids for construction of a 54-by-89-foot building in March 1867.
"The Illinois firm of Underwood and Conn submitted a bid of $40,433.75, which the court accepted in April 1867. Contractors completed construction in February 1868. Seven rooms were on the first floor; double stairways leading to the 54-by-54-foot courtroom on the second floor were later reduced to one stairway by enclosing the well on the east.
"In 1905 O. E. Sprouce directed an extensive remodeling that included alteration of the roof, which had caused so much leaking. He increased the height of the dome 20 feet, replastered the walls and added a metal ceiling to the Circuit Court room. Minor repairs and alterations were made in 1934 under a federal Civil Works Administration project.
"The curved portico design is similar to the 1826 St. Louis County courthouse designed by Morton and Laveille. It is also reminiscent of the Missouri State Capitol, designed by A. Stephen Hills in 1837, remodeled in 1888. Moniteau County's courthouse is now on the National Register of Historic Places." ~ University of Missouri, Extension