Bremer County Courthouse

On our way to visit the Little Brown Church, we stopped at the Bremer County Courthouse in Waverly, Iowa.  Built 1936-37, the building features Depression Modern architecture, and was funded in part by the Public Works Administration.  

Bremer County was established in 1853, and its first courthouse was a small frame building, which cost $147.50 to build.  This was replaced in 1858 by a two-story 43x63-foot brick building, which cost $23,000.  All of the material used in its construction--brick, stone, and lumber--was produced in the county.  The current structure cost $139,000; over $60,000 of this was supplied by the PWA grant.

Outside the courthouse is a small replica of the Statue of Liberty, very similar to the one in Grundy County.  Plaques on the base of the statue honor those who served in various wars.  One plaque explains the statue was dedicated in 1950 by the Boy Scouts of America as part of the "40th Anniversary Crusade to Strengthen the Arm of Liberty."

Upon entering the building, we noted a Roll of Honor, with names of veterans framed on the wall.  The first floor had the regular courthouse offices: auditor, motor vehicle department, etc.

Taking the elevator down to the basement, we found more offices: building and zoning sanitation, assessor, human resources, and more (below left).  So, we headed up.  Below right shows outside the clerk of court's office upstairs.

 We visited two small courtrooms (above), but were disappointed to see the main courtroom was in use.  The general rule is that no cameras or cell phones are allowed while court is in session.  There were only a few people in court, and everything was soon finished.

I asked if I could take pictures, and the judge, Pete Newell, agreed.  He also kindly filled me in on some of the history of Bremer County, and mentioned a few other courthouses in the state that he considered most interesting.

Bremer County was named by Governor Hempstead for Fredrika Bremer, a Swedish writer and reformer.  After reading Tocqueville's Democracy in America (1835), Bremer toured the United States for herself and her observations--written in letters to her sister--were published in 1853 as The Homes of the New World: Impressions of America.

Fredrika Bremer's most noted work, however, is New Sketches of Everyday Life: Hertha.  This novel the Swedish Parliament to grant unmarried women legal majority at the age of 25.  Formerly under Sweden's 1734 Civil Code, unmarried women had been wards of their closest male relative.

 In Miss Bremer's case, after her father's death, she had become a ward of her brother--who legally had control over her finances and had been very wasteful with the family fortune.  She, like many other businesswomen of the time, petitioned and received emancipation from the king.  Hertha is considered the first feminist novel in Swedish literature.

Near the auditor's office, there is a display featuring a photo of Miss Bremer, as well as other historical artifacts and photos.  Upstairs there is a library filled with law books.

The Bremer County Courthouse seems like a practical, modern building that suits the needs of the county well.  Although it was not nearly as ornate or neat-looking as some of the other courthouses, I still enjoyed my visit.