Ralls County Courthouse - 1858 - New London, MO
Posted by: YoSam.
N 39° 35.161 W 091° 24.036
15S E 637348 N 4383032
"The idea for the courthouse was officially conceived on March 5,
1857, when the Rails County Court appointed a committee ... to submit a plan and an estimated cost for a new courthouse building." ~ NRHP
Waymark Code: WM17AHH
Location: Missouri, United States
Date Posted: 01/14/2023
Views: 0
County of site: Ralls County
Location: N. Main St., courthouse lawn, New London
Architectural Style: Greek Revival
Built: 1858
"Rails County Courthouse, facing west on New London's courthouse
square, is designed in the Greek Revival temple-type, with cupola,
style. The courthouse is two-storied and T-shaped in plan, the
foot of the "T" being the original, 1858 portion of the courthouse
and the crossbar the lower, 1936 annex wing. A two-story, tetra-style portico spans the entire width of the west façade of the
courthouse. An unusually tall cupola is centered over the west
wall, extending westward over half of the portico and eastward to
the west edge of the first bay window.
"Rails County Jail-Sheriff's House is a two-story, "T-shaped" lime
stone building with a one-story frame addition on the rear, north
east corner and a one-story porch attached to the west (front) façade. The crossbar of the "T" is the main (west) section of the
building, while the foot is the lower, rear (east) wing.
"Rails County Courthouse is located on the southeast corner of New London's courthouse square (Block 15). (This asymmetrical position is
due to the fact that the second courthouse, a brick structure, was
still on the square and in use, being vacated room by room as the
new courthouse was made ready). 3 The jail-sheriff's house is situated
on the northwest corner (Lot 57) of Block 14, directly east of the
square. The square is bordered by commercial buildings on the south
and west and by private dwellings on the east and north. A church
is also located to the east, next to the jail-sheriff's house. Side
walks run along the curbs of the east, west, and south sides of Block 15
and lead to the courthouse's east, west, and south doors. A fourth
sidewalk, running from the south curb to the portico, intersects the
west sidewalk leading to the main entrance." ~ NRHP Nomination Form