The Benton Country First Court House was built as a tribute to the Honorable Thomas Hart Benton, one of Missouri’s renowned senators during the mid 1800’s. The house was built in 1837, following the declaration of Bentonville as a town.

Initially, the Bentonville courthouse was just a cabin made of logs donated by the people. It is where the early records of the town were stored. For two years, the small courthouse stood, but only temporarily, and would sooner be replaced by the new 2-story building that was made of bricks. The brick building would later be destroyed in the time of the Civil war, but thanks to John Woods and Peter Carnahan, most of the papers in the old courthouse were spared and safely preserved.