Johnson County, Iowa
| Johnson County, Iowa | ||
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 Location in the U.S. state of Iowa |
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 Iowa's location in the U.S. |
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| Founded | 1837 | |
| Named for | Richard Mentor Johnson | |
| Seat | Iowa City | |
| Largest city | Iowa City | |
| Area | ||
| • Total | 623 sq mi (1,614 km2) | |
| • Land | 614 sq mi (1,590 km2) | |
| • Water | 9.1 sq mi (24 km2), 1.5% | |
| Population | ||
| • (2010) | 130,882 | |
| • Density | 213/sq mi (82/km²) | |
| Congressional district | 2nd | |
| Time zone | Central: UTC-6/-5 | |
| Website | www |
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Johnson County is a county located in the U.S. state of Iowa. As of the 2010 census, the population was 130,882 making it the fifth-most populous county in Iowa. The county seat is Iowa City, home of the University of Iowa. The county is named for Richard Mentor Johnson, the ninth vice president of the United States.
Johnson County is included in the Iowa City, IA Metropolitan Statistical Area, which is also included in the Cedar Rapids-Iowa City Corridor Combined Statistical Area.
Johnson County was created on December 21, 1837 by the legislature of the Wisconsin Territory. The county was carved out of territory formerly in Dubuque County, and was not initially provided with a civil government, instead being governed by Cedar County officials. It was named for the US Vice President Richard M. Johnson.
The first courthouse in the county was a two story log cabin structure, built in 1838 in the town of Napoleon, about two miles south of the current courthouse. The building stood across from what later would become the James McCollister Farmstead on land later owned by Philip Clark.
After Iowa City was established by fiat as the new territorial capitol of Iowa, the county seat was removed there. The second Johnson County Courthouse, the first in Iowa City, was built on Lot 8 Block 8 of the County Seat Addition to Iowa City in 1842 for $3,690. This location was in the southeast corner of the intersection of Harrison and Clinton Streets. The building was intended to be 56 x 28 feet and two stories tall. The building was built by James Trimble, who had previously built the first jail.
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