Preserving History, Building a Future
Grants Awarded
Donations to Date
Total Needed
Our Mission
To facilitate the preservation of the Carter County Courthouse by assisting local government in the conception of its future use, the plan for its design, and the enlistment of support for its renovation.
The Courthouse Story
An original courthouse was completed in October 1871, when a post-and-beam building was constructed by the county for a cost of $3,000. On January 21, 1936, the Works Progress Administration (WPA) built a substantial addition on the east end of the building. The WPA finished the construction phase by adding a cobblestone exterior to both the old and new sections of the structure, followed by the construction of a wall to enclose the square shortly afterward. During the early 1990s, an elevator annex was built on the east end of the courthouse; this annex was given a matching cobblestone facade.
Within the Courthouse Square (sited on the northwest corner) is a veterans’ memorial erected around 1920. Engraved upon the memorial’s stone plinth are the names of Carter County’s fallen soldiers.
The Courthouse has sat abandoned since Spring 2017 due to the flood damage. While the building’s second floor is in the same basic condition as it was pre-flood, floor tiles and ceiling materials were removed from the first floor, and the interior walls of the flooded downstairs were stripped down to studding to facilitate drying.
Old termite damage to studying exists, but engineers have deemed the structure sound and asbestos-free, and no mold has been detected. The elevator is inoperable and in need of repair or replacement, as its electrical components were submerged during the flood. Externally, the Courthouse’s appearance is relatively unchanged.
Since the flood, all county offices situated in the Courthouse have been moved to temporary locations until the county government completes a proposed Justice Center to house them; this includes the sheriff’s office and jail and the prosecuting attorney’s office. Federal and state funding for the Justice Center may not be used for any renovation of the cobblestone courthouse, and Carter, one of the poorest counties in the State of Missouri, does not possess sufficient funds for its renovation.
The Friends of the Carter County Courthouse aims to devise a renovation plan for the building, enabling it to serve as a functional public structure for the advantage of locals and tourists. Additionally, they plan to generate donations and acquire grants to aid the county in the restoration of the building.
The non-profit has already engaged the services of an architect to assist with design; however, all final decisions as to design and use will be made by the Carter County Commission, as the local government retains ownership and overall control of the building.
In April 2023, the Carter County Commission was awarded a $630,454 matching grant from the Missouri Department of Economic Development, and the Friends of the Carter County Courthouse has taken on the responsibility of fundraising the remaining amount needed to complete the project.
Read the Preliminary Architectural Report
Our Activities
Our activities involve planning, education, fundraising, and a focus on the future.
In the News
Devastated by 2017 flood, work continues to save Carter County Courthouse
Carter County Courthouse
Donate
Donations for the restoration of the Carter County Courthouse can be mailed to:
Friends of the Carter County Courthouse P.O. Box 116, Van Buren, MO 63965
Our Board of Directors
- Ronnie Keeney, Carter County Commissioner
- Rebeca Pacheco, President
- Mark Norris, VP
- Liz Orr, Secretary
- Andy Dazey, Treasurer
- Jason Lott, National Park Service Liaison
- Linda Terry
- Jeremy Manning
- Jeanette Heavin
- Jerry Presley
- John Barnes
- Gerri Flatt
- Jennifer Williams
- Susan Van Winkle
Our Partners
We are proud to collaborate with the following trusted organizations:
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