Being a native of Iowa. Yet moving away 12 yrs ago. I have to say…read more The Midwest has many pockets where you would least expect. The high level of customer service & genuine level of kindness. The building is honestly still absolutely beautiful In it's design. People were very helpful & friendly. Now the- Clerk of Court employees. Debbie, Marsha & Albert. These 3 are God sent Angel's. I have been dealing with a matter over the phone. Via from Las Vegas, NV. From day one. I believe starting July. I have had the pleasure speaking & working with all 3 of these lovely individuals. They all listened to me. Went above and beyond their required job duties. I couldn't thank them enough. So if you are ever needing assistance from the Clerk of Court. Make sure you get one of the mentioned 3 individuals. You are definitely in good hands. I highly recommend this court house. Even if it's just to stop by & check out nothing more then all of its beauty. From the people. To its wondrous Architectural design.

I love old historic buildings, even when they are under construction!…read more Now I guess I would have rather taken a tour of the Polk County Courthouse, instead of being called for my civic duties of Jury Duty.. But hey I also get to check out this beautiful building I have always admired from the outside but never actually went in! The building is pretty epic, with beautiful stain glassed ceiling, and cool murals, epic stair cases that would make Rocky sweat and lots of vending machines to get you through the door if you need it! I got to go in the Jury's waiting room and also visit 2 different court rooms while I was there! It's pretty cool to feel like you are in the scenes of Law and Order for an afternoon minus the great Olivia Benson! Man I wish she was there to have a coffee outside on the steps with me, and reporters were running up to us to ask us questions! Oh well real is real and fake is fake, and this building is real cool!

Dickinson County, the smallest Iowa county in land area, is named in honor of Daniel S. Dickinson,…read morea lawyer and senator from New York. Starting with Rowland Gardner, this area was first settled in 1856. The first courthouse was partially completed in 1860. At that point it was used as a barracks for Civil War troops, was completed in 1868, and destroyed by fire 1872. A second courthouse was constructed using the salvageable bricks of the first courthouse. However, it was soon deemed unsatisfactory and condemned in 1880. In September 1889 a $15,000 bond issue was passed for the construction of a 3rd courthouse that was completed in 1891. This Courthouse (including the 1957, 1976, and 1978 additions) was the one I saw when I was growing up at the Lake and coming back during my College summers. But all good things must come to an end, as and old and tired Courthouse III was eventually condemned. Courthouse IV is now just a few years old and during our last trip to Spirit Lake, Gayle and I walked from the Cabin to take a look. Actually the Building itself was closed, so we admired the Veteran's Plaza that honors those who served (and returned) and the others who made the ultimate sacrifice in defense of our Country. There's also a Tower in front of the Main Building which honors the previous 3 Courthouses, and features an interior that tastefully provides Lakes Area information for visitors. It's a beauty of a place and Gayle and I were both impressed. Later on we obtained a booklet commemorating the grand opening of the new Courthouse. We'll be back to finish our tour with an interior walk. Now if the good folks in Spirit Lake could work on restoring that lovely old Carnegie Library across the Street?

Beautiful modern courthouse. The Justice Center houses the courthouse as well as the county jail on…read morea well-kept part of town just west of Fareway. Walking up to the enterance doors, you see the scales of justice in marble stone. Upon entering, you can turn left or right. On the left side of the building is the County Jail entrance, and on the right side of the building is the Courthouse. Upstairs is where the clerk of court and other offices are. The inside is very well-kept and clean. The bathrooms are nice and located on the right side towards the courtrooms. A water fountain and elevator are also located on the first floor. The County Attorney's Office is around the corner on the right side at the end of the hall. You pass the 3 courtrooms and several conference rooms along the way. The courtrooms are intimate yet roomy. Upon entering the courtroom, the public may sit on either side of the aisle. The bailiff holds the door partition for you as you walk past the jury on the left and the attorneys' tables on the right. The court reporter and judge seats are ahead, and the witness stand sits to the right-hand side of the judge and behind the court reporter. Raise your right hand and tak3 a deep breath. You can do it!

Emmet County was organized in 1859, and is bounded on the north by the state of Minnesota; on the…read moreeast by Kossuth County; on the south by Palo Alto County; and on the west by Dickinson County. Land mass is 408 square miles and it contains several lakes that afford good fishing and hunting. There are a total of six incorporated towns in Emmet County that include: Armstrong, Dolliver, Estherville, Gruver, Ringsted and Wallingford. Estherville is the county seat. The first courthouse for Emmet County was in the town's first school building located where the post office now stands. An election in 1879 moved the county seat from Estherville to Swan Lake. A couple years later, it was moved back. The first courthouse was built in 1883 and was located between the present library and courthouse. That first courthouse was torn down in 1958 when the present courthouse was constructed. During my childhood stay in Estherville, I never got enough trouble to visit the Sheriff hear, but do remember Family involvement with the County Assessor's, Recorder's, and Clerk's Offices. Speaking of which and as a Public Service under Iowa Marriage License Information: Are proxy marriages legal? No, marriage by proxy is not allowed. Are cousin marriages legal? No, cousin marriages are not allowed. Are common law marriages legal? Yes, common-law marriages are allowed. Are same sex marriages legal? Yes, same-sex marriages are allowed. There's no residency requirement and my parent's Lake Cabin Dock would make a great place for vows. So what are you waiting for?

I went in to transfer my trailer registration from IL to IA. They gave me static about doing it…read morebecause my permanent residence is in IL even though I plan to keep it at my place in IA. They then fined me for not doing it sooner even though my current registration was good. Typical ECC.

Great place to walk, run, Zumba, lift weights, play Rec League volleyball…read more... The Rec Center has it all: Two basketball/volleyball courts Suspended walking track above the double courts Weight equipment including Power Lift Racks, Platforms, and machines Treadmills and bikes Medicine balls and jump ropes Upstairs dedicated fitness room Racquetball available with reservation Downstairs dedicated meeting room Many programs are available at a very reasonable cost Monday-Friday - 5 a.m. - 9:30 p.m. Saturday - 6 a.m. - 6 p.m. Sunday - 12 p.m. - 6 p.m. Closed on major holidays. For more information call 515-386-3412 Yearly memberships are available. Daily Admission: $5/child $6/adult Facility can be rented at varying rates

WOW! The Law Library looks straight out of a fairytale. I swear it looks like the inspiration for…read moreBelle's library in Beauty and the Beast. The gorgeous murals and senate chambers were also impressive. We stopped here on a whim during a recent road trip and were pleasantly surprised by its grandeur and beauty. They offered a free tour, but we opted for a self guided tour instead so we could go on our own pace. We came on a Friday afternoon and someone who worked there told us it's the best day to visit since the place is so busy Mon-Thurs when legislators are in session, that it's often difficult to find a parking spot. But on this quiet Friday morning, we parked in the front row and had no line in front of us as we went through the security metal detector.

My visits to state capitols are few and far between, but after visiting the Iowa State Capitol, I…read morewant to make a point of visiting more whenever I travel to other states. My son started attending law school in Des Moines and so I was trying to see what the city has to offer. Visiting the capitol building was one of the things that kept popping up on things to do. We decided to check it out on a Saturday and luckily they do guided tours which I highly recommend. Completed in 1886, they have done a remarkable job preserving this place and showcasing it's beauty. It sits on top of a hill and offers great views of the city from every side. One of the first things you notice from the outside is the gold dome. The ornate outside facade carries inside where it is just as beautiful. You'll notice intricate wood decor as well as marble, gold and other beautiful materials. You can visit the historic supreme court chambers and see all the offices of state officials. The law library is by far my favorite part of the building. I felt like I was in some movie like Harry Potter or something. You have to see it in person to really comprehend the beauty. The wood and gold along with the spiraling staircases and law books stacked to the high ceiling was cool to see. If you aren't afraid of heights, you can take a long winding staircase at the top of the dome. We were one of the last tours so we didn't really get to really take our time and soak in all this place has to offer. I will most definitely come back next time I am in town visiting the kiddo. It was absolutely something I did not expect to see deep in the Midwest.

This is the Hancock County Freedom Rock. Completing the Freedom Rock tour of all 99 Iowa counties…read moreis something my girlfriend and I have been working on for the past few years. We are four rocks away from the end of our journey at this time. Not only do we learn about the military involvement and the contributions of veterans in each county... A lot of times we stumble on other hidden gems, that we had no idea even existed, as we venture further into our own backyard. As happy as I am going to be when hit 99 and finish our Freedom Rock Tour...a little part of me is going to really miss these trips. We'll just have to find another "tour" to pick up! When you are checking out each Freedom Rock make sure you explore the surrounding area for other points of interest. And please remember to support local businesses...! Visit https://www.thefreedomrock.com/ for more information on Iowa's Freedom Rocks and the tour!

Beautiful courthouse inside and out. Very well maintained and clean…read more Men and women's restrooms are located on opposite sides on the upper floor outside the courtroom. There is plenty of room while waiting and benches to sit on. Drinking fountains are also available for visitors. Staff are very friendly, helpful and accommodating. I was sequestered prior to testifying in the law library. I've yet to see the inside of the courtroom, next time Mitchell Co!

From the owner: The Mitchell County Courthouse is located in Osage, Iowa. It is the official site for court…read morefunctions and county administration.