courthouse square

It was neat to see the town square it was like stepping back in time and the people seemed really nice and friendly.

I’m on my way to John Wayne’s birthplace when I stop at the Chamber of Commerce and discover a jewel of Victorian architecture: the courthouse built in 1878 and the entire courthouse square surrounding it. Beautiful old buildings, mostly in great shape, the courthouse itself features marble floors, a gorgeous tower and many wood details. Enchanted, I enter and an enthusiastic public official comes out of his office and offers to give us a tour. We see the fossils in the marble tiles, the elaborate wood details, the old jail in the basement, several interesting clocks of a venerable age, still working, and to top it all, we get a black and white drawing of the Courthouse from 1926! This is the same courthouse where they have record of the birth, in 1907, of a boy by the name Marion Robert Morrison, who in due time will become The Duke (see separate review of John Wayne’s birthplace). I find an entire wall with framed original ordinances proclaiming different misdemeanors, like Whipping cough! (see photos). In the Chamber of Commerce we get a map of the Bridges of Madison County (separate review), take a bunch of photos and we are on our way. Thank you, Winterset, for an enchanted hour!