This photograph was taken during a ceremony that celebrated the laying of the Hancock County Courthouse's cornerstone on June 8, 1899. This ceremony, which took place in Garner, Iowa, drew a crowd of close to 10,000 people from several different counties. The construction of this courthouse sparked a large amount of debate and controversy in Hancock County. At this time, the towns of Britt and Garner both wanted to be the county seat, and the people of Britt saw this courthouse as Garner's attempt to increase its chances of being selected. This debate was finally settled in 1903 when the people of Hancock County chose Garner as the county seat in a vote. Content can be used with the following standards: 8th grade SS 8.25 Iowa Government in lesson on the development of original courthouses and judicial systems in Iowa. For any use other than instructional resources, please check with the organization that owns this item regarding copyright restrictions.
2018.051.022 [Print, Photographic]
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Ownership of this resource is held by the Hancock County Historical Society and has been provided here for educational purposes only, specifically for use in the Iowa Museum Association's "Teaching Iowa History" project. It may not be downloaded, reproduced or distributed in any format without written permission from the Rights Holder. For information on U.S. and International copyright laws, consult an attorney.