Butler County Court House (Old)

Lost to History

Civic

Butler County Court House (Old)

The original Butler County Courthouse, wrecked in the 1927 tornado that devastated Poplar Bluff.

The Story

The old Butler County Courthouse served as the center of county government and justice until May 9, 1927, when a catastrophic tornado struck Poplar Bluff. The courthouse and jail were completely wrecked in the disaster, which killed 86 people and damaged every business block on Main Street and Broadway. The tornado's destruction led to a complete rebuilding of the courthouse.

Additional Source References

Mentions of this site found in historical sources. These excerpts are auto-extracted and unverified — presented for research purposes until an editor confirms them.

According to Deem's History of Butler County Missouri (1940)Unverified

The location where the skull of the spy Johnson was stored at the time of the writing.

“He turned it over to the writer and the skull is now in the basement of the court house, a grim reminder of the Civil War.”

According to A VIEW OF A GROWING TOWN OR POPLAR BLUFF AS IT WAS, AS IT IS, AND AS IT WILL BE (1884)Unverified

The Butler County government center housing judicial and administrative offices.

“Poplar Bluff being the county seat of Butler County the Court House is located here and is a two-story brick house which was completed in the year 1866.”

According to Poplar BluffUnverified

A caption identifying the Butler County Court House.

“Butler County Court House”

What's There Now

A new courthouse was built to replace the destroyed structure. Today, a ceremony commemorating the 1927 tornado is held on the second floor of the current Butler County Courthouse.