Union

Formed January 15, 1851 (66^th county)

Union County (12,145), Creston (7,544)

Concrete and marble on the Modern structure were built in 1952.  It is located at Pine and Mills streets.  United States Highway 34 is eight blocks south of the courthouse.  Thomas W. Williamson and Victor H. Loebsack designed the facility.  The structure features marble internal walls.  There was an 1890 courthouse also in Creston after Afton, the first county seat, following the county’s January 15, 1851 formation.  The county was taken from Clarke County as the 66^th county.  The county’s name comes from the debate over the slavery issue.  The county seat is a geographical name for its location above the railroad line. 

The county has an area of 424 square miles.  It is 92 of 99 in the state.  It ranks 62 out of 99 in population in the state.  It has a density of 28.6 persons per square mile making it 46 out of 99 in the state.  Union County has 75.1% of its population in its incorporated areas.  United States Highway 34 crosses the county east to west from Clarke County to Adams County.  United States Highway 169 goes north to south from Madison County to Ringgold County.  The county is a rectangle.  Creston is located near the western border of the county.  Creston is the county seat and the largest city.  It is 62.1% of the county population. 

Union County government consists of a sheriff, a recorder, an attorney, a treasurer, and an assessor (executive).  It has 3 Supervisors (legislative.)  Fifty-nine District Court Judges and Twenty-one Magistrates serve Union, Adair, Adams, Clarke, Dallas, Decatur, Guthrie, Jasper, Lucas, Madison, Marion, Polk, Ringgold, Taylor, Warren, and Wayne counties (judicial.) Union County is southwest of Des Moines, Iowa in southwest Iowa.  The county center is 8.6 miles Southeast of Creston nearer Afton.  The county is surrounded clockwise by Madison, Clarke, Decatur, Ringgold, Taylor, Adams, and Adair counties.

Shannon City