Just a few blocks from Route 66, right in the heart of the Carthage town square, you’ll find one of Missouri’s most striking landmarks: the Jasper County Courthouse.
Built between 1894 and 1895, this towering Romanesque Revival-style courthouse was designed by architect Max A. Orlopp Jr. and constructed with locally sourced Carthage stone. The 176-foot-tall structure was built on the same site as the original Jasper County Courthouse, which was destroyed during the Battle of Carthage in the Civil War.
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Often called the second most photographed building in Missouri (just behind the Gateway Arch in St. Louis) this courthouse earned a spot on the National Register of Historic Places in 1973 and still serves as the seat of Jasper County government today.
Step inside and you’ll find a working wrought-iron cage elevator, a small Route 66 display, military artifacts, mining exhibits, and the mural Forged in Fire by Lowell Davis, which depicts the rich history of Jasper County.
Outside, the square is dotted with historical markers and monuments, including memorials for the Battle of Carthage and the Osage War.
Photos of the Jasper County Courthouse in Carthage, Missouri
