Holt

Formed January 29, 1841 (72^nd county)

Holt County (4,226), Oregon (832), Mound City (1,006)

A tan/red brick Modern courthouse in Oregon was built in 1966 on a square consisting Nodaway, Main, Missouri, and Washington streets.  United States Highway 59 is one block to the east of the location.  The building’s designer was B. R. Hunter.  There was an 1852 version previously.  The county was formed on January 29, 1841 from Native American Territory as the 72^nd county.  It is named for Missouri Legislator David Rice Holt.  The county seat is named for the Oregon Territory.  It is also the source name for Oregon County.  Oregon has always been the county seat. 

Holt 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 Holt, Atchison, Gentry, Nodaway, and Worth counties and One County Court Judge and a court clerk serve Holt County (judicial.) The county is in the northwest part of the state.  It borders both Nebraska and Kansas across the Missouri River.  Kansas City, Missouri is southeast and Omaha, Nebraska is northwest of the county.  The county center is 9.5 miles North-Northwest of Oregon nearer Mound City.  The county is surrounded clockwise by Atchison, Nodaway, and Andrew counties and Kansas and Nebraska. 

The area of the county is 462 square miles.  It is 94 out of 115 in the state.  It ranks 111 out of 115 in population in the state.  It has a density of 9.1 persons per square mile making it 109 out of 115 in the state.  Holt County has 60.6% of its population in its incorporated areas.  Interstate Highway 29 crosses the county northwest to southeast from Atchison County to Andrew County.  United States Highway 59 parallels Interstate Highway 29 from Atchison to Andrew counties.  United States Highway 159 originates and goes west into Nebraska.  The county looks like a bag of marbles bending southeast.  Oregon is in the southern quarter of the county.  Mound City is in the northern third of the county.  Oregon is the county seat and Mound City is the largest city.  Oregon is 19.7% of the county population while Mound City is 23.8% of the county population.