Worth

Formed February 8, 1861 (114^th county)

Worth County (1,967), Grant City (815)

The brown brick Romanesque Revival courthouse was constructed in 1898 on a square surrounded by 4^th, Main, 3^rd, and High streets.  There were 1864 and 1866 courthouses previously.  Smithton was the county seat before Grant City in 1863.  Missouri State Highway 46 is two blocks to the north of the site.  The facility features a tower, a gazebo, and a veterans’ wall.  Internally the structure has wood and a historical tapestry.  Orff and Guilbert were the architects.  The building was remodeled in 2009.  The county was created on February 8, 1861 from Native American Territory as the 114^th county.  Smithdon was the first county seat until 1863 when Grant City took over.  Worth County is named for Mexican War hero, General William J. Worth.  The county seat is named for General and United States President Ulysses S. Grant. 

Worth County government consists of a sheriff, an administrator, an attorney, a collector, a coroner, an assessor and a clerk (executive).  It has 3 Commissioners (legislative.)  One Circuit Court Judge serves Worth, Atchison, Gentry, Holt, and Nodaway counties and One County Court Judge and a court clerk serve Worth County (judicial.)  The county is on the northwest border with Iowa.  Kansas City, Missouri is south and Des Moines, Iowa is northeast of the county.  The county center is in Grant City 1.3 miles Southwest of the city center.  The county is surrounded clockwise by Iowa and Harrison, Gentry, and Nodaway counties. 

The area of the county is 266 square miles.  It is 114 out of 115 in the state.  It ranks 115 out of 115 in population in the state.  It has a density of 7.4 persons per square mile making it 114 out of 115 in the state.  Worth County has 56.8% of its population in its incorporated areas.  United States Highway 169 goes north to south in the county from Iowa to Gentry County.  The county is a rectangle.  Grant City is located near the center of the county.  Grant City is the county seat and the largest city.  It is 41.4% of the county population.