Taylor County History

Taylor County gets its name from Major General Zachary Taylor, 12th president of the United States.

The first county elections were held in 1851, by order of the county sheriff.  Only 53 votes were cast in the election of three commissioners, a clerk, judge, treasurer, and county recorder.  The first county business conducted was the location of a county seat.  A three-man committee was formed to locate the county seat, but nothing was ever done.  Eventually, the Legislature, on January 14, 1853, appointed a second committee for the same purpose.  When a site was located, it was to be named Bedford.

In 1851, Taylor County had a population of 393, and the first county assessor reportedly spent only four days assessing the whole county, was paid $4.00, and the total taxes collected were $62.37.

For several years the county went without a county courthouse.  The offices and court were held in the log cabin home of Jacob Ross.  Finally, in 1864, the county built its first courthouse in Bedford.  The square, two-story stone building was used until 1891, when it was deemed unsafe.  At this time the county built its present courthouse.

The $38,810 building was designed by F.M. Ellis of Omaha.  The impressive building is made of pressed brick and trimmed with Bedford limestone.  The building has many unique aspects, such as fireplaces in numerous rooms and a wrought iron staircase that leads to the back of the courthouse.

Taken from History of County Governments in Iowa, published in 1992 by the Iowa State Association of Counties, Des Moines, Iowa.