WEBSTER COUNTY COURTHOUSE

Webster County Court was first held in the home of Thomas Cogar. Albert Baughman, county clerk during the Civil War, feared the court records would be destroyed so he cut the leaves from the books stored in Cogar’s home. After the war, Baughman moved West and the records were never recovered.

A frame building was used for the first courthouse. It was consumed by fire in 1888.

After that, sessions of court were held in the Baptist Church until the present stone courthouse was completed. An addition was added in the late 1930s.