Benton

Formed January 5, 1835 (47^th county)

Benton County (19,395), Warsaw (2,214)

A basic red brick Federalist building on a square at Van Buren, Washington, Commercial, and Main streets, was built in 1887.  It was remodeled in 2008 to add the front balcony.  A veterans’ memorial sits on the courthouse grounds.  Sammons and Buller were the building architects.  United States Highway 65 passes 6 blocks east of the courthouse.  There were 1838 and 1840 courthouses earlier.  The county was created on January 5, 1835 from parts of Pettis and St. Clair counties as the 47^th county with Warsaw as the only county seat.  The county is named for Senator Thomas Hart Benton.  He is also the namesake of the county seat of Scott County.  The county seat is named for Warsaw, Poland. 

Benton County government consists of a sheriff and 3 Commissioners.  One Circuit Court Judge serves Benton, Dallas, Hickory, Polk, Webster counties and One County Court Judge serves Benton County.  The county is in western Missouri.  Kansas City, Missouri is northwest and Saint Louis, Missouri is northeast of the county.  The county center is 9.1 miles North-Northeast of Warsaw nearer Lincoln.  The county is surrounded clockwise by Pettis, Morgan, Camden, Hickory, Saint Clair, and Henry counties. 

The area of the county is 706 square miles.  It is 26 out of 115 in the state.  It ranks 56 out of 115 in population in the state.  It has a density of 27.5 persons per square mile making it 63 out of 115 in the state.  Benton County has 23.4% of its population in its incorporated areas.  United States Highway 65 passes north to south in the county from Pettis County to Hickory County.  The county is overall rectangular with some juts and cuts along the borders.  Warsaw is in the southwest quarter of the county.  Warsaw is the county seat and the largest city.  It is 11.4% of the county population.

Ionia