Linn

Formed January 1, 1837 (55^th county)

Linn County (11,870), Linneus (278), Brookfield (4,103)

The masonry Classical Revival facility was built in 1913 to replace an 1848 structure.  There was also an 1841 courthouse.  The current courthouse is on a square at High, State, Jackson, and Main streets.  The courthouse is on Missouri State Highway 5.  A small canon is sited on the grounds.  The building was designed by Sanneman-Goold.  The county was organized on January 1, 1837 from Chariton County as the 55^th county with Linneus as the only county seat.  The county and county seat are named for Senator Lewis F. Linn.  He is also the namesake of the county seat of Osage County. 

Linn 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 Linn, Chariton, and Sullivan counties and One County Court Judge and a court clerk serve Linn County (judicial.)  The county is in the northern part of the state.  Kansas City, Missouri is southwest and Saint Louis, Missouri is southeast of the county.  The county center is 9.2 miles Southeast of Linneus nearer Brookfield.  The county is surrounded clockwise by Sullivan, Adair, Macon, Chariton, Livingston, and Grundy counties. 

The area of the county is 620 square miles.  It is 51 out of 115 in the state.  It ranks 76 out of 115 in population in the state.  It has a density of 19.1 persons per square mile making it 82 out of 115 in the state.  Linn County has 66.8% of its population in its incorporated areas.  United States Highway 36 goes east to west in the county from Macon County to Livingston County.  Linn County is a rectangle.  Linneus is in the western third of the county.  Brookfield is in the southern quarter of the county.  Linneus is the county seat and Brookfield is the largest city.  Linneus is 2.3% of the county population while Brookfield is 34.6% of the county population.  The county seat is pronounced LIN-EE-US.