Kansas City Region
Why the Johnson County seat sits at Warrensburg and the courthouse square
Warrensburg's role as the county seat, and the shift associated with the arrival of the railroad, explains the town's 'Old Town' and downtown layout and where county government sits today.
Warrensburg is the county seat of Johnson County. The story of why the town looks the way it does is easy to follow. Johnson County was organized in 1834. A brick courthouse went up on the Old Town Square, on North Main Street, between 1838 and 1842. That square was the heart of town for years. Then the railroad reached Warrensburg in 1864. Stores and county business slowly moved east to be near the new depot, and a new courthouse was built there. That is why Old Town and the later downtown sit in two different places today. The original courthouse still stands. It was the site of the famous 1870 “Old Drum” dog trial. The Johnson County Historical Society restored it in 1965. To dig deeper, check the Missouri State Archives and the State Historical Society of Missouri.
Where to see it
- Old Johnson County Courthouse
The old courthouse is the visible anchor for the Old Town Square story.
References
More from Johnson County: browse every local note for the county.
Last checked against the sources above: June 20, 2026.