Calhoun

Formed January 15, 1851 (55^th county)

Calhoun County (9,914), Rockwell City (2,256)

The masonry and stone facility was erected in 1913 to serve Calhoun County.  It is at Main, 5^th, Court, and 4^th streets three blocks south of United States Highway 20.  W. F. Gernandt designed this courthouse in Neo-Classical Revival style.  The building features a red tile roof and the grounds have veteran memorials and a freedom stone.  There was an 1886 courthouse also in Rockwell City.  Calhoun County was created on January 15, 1851 as the 55^th county.  Lake City was the first county seat with Rockwell City becoming the seat in 1877.  The county is named for United States Vice President John C. Calhoun.  The county seat is named for settler J. M. Rockwell. 

Calhoun County government consists of a sheriff and 3 Supervisors.  Thirty-one District Court Judges and Thirty-three Magistrates serve Calhoun, Boone, Bremer, Butler, Carroll, Cerro Gordo, Floyd, Franklin, Greene, Hamilton, Hancock, Hardin, Humboldt, Marshall, Mitchell, Pocahontas, Sac, Story, Webster, Winnebago, Worth, and Wright counties.  The county is situated in west central Iowa.  Des Moines, Iowa is southeast and Sioux City, Iowa is northwest of the county.  The county center is 2 miles Southwest of Rockwell City.  The county is surrounded clockwise by Pocahontas, Webster, Greene, Carroll, and Sac counties.  

The county has an area of 570 square miles.  It is 48 of 99 in the state.  It ranks 75 out of 99 in population in the state.  It has a density of 17.4 persons per square mile making it 80 out of 99 in the state.  Calhoun County has 73.4% of its population in its incorporated areas.  United States Highway 20 crosses the county east to west from Webster County to Sac County.  The county is a rectangle with the top quarter shifted to the west.  Rockwell City is located near the center of the county.  Lake City is in the southwest part of the county.  Rockwell City is the county seat and the largest city.  Rockwell City is 22.8% of the county population.