Washington County Courthouse, built in 1870 in

Stillwater, Minnesota Stillwater is a city in the U.S. state of Minnesota and the county seat of Washington County. It is in the Minneapolis–Saint Paul metropolitan area, on the west bank of the St. Croix River (Wisconsin-Minnesota), St. Croix River, across from H ...

, United States, is one of the oldest standing courthouses in the state. It served as the center of Washington County government for more than a century, from the building's completion in 1870 until 1975. It was listed on the

National Register of Historic Places The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the United States federal government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures and objects deemed worthy of preservation for their historical significance or "great artistic v ...

in 1971 for having state-level significance in the themes of architecture and government/politics. It was nominated as Minnesota's oldest functioning courthouse and one of its few surviving examples of monumental public architecture from the mid-19th century. Since construction of a new government center in 1975, the historic courthouse has been restored and adapted for use as a venue for public community and cultural events, and private occasions.

History

The courthouse was designed by Augustus Knight of

St. Paul Paul; grc, Παῦλος, translit=Paulos; cop, ⲡⲁⲩⲗⲟⲥ; hbo, פאולוס השליח (previously called Saul of Tarsus;; ar, بولس الطرسوسي; grc, Σαῦλος Ταρσεύς, Saũlos Tarseús; tr, Tarsuslu Pavlus; ...

, in the

Italianate The Italianate style was a distinct 19th-century phase in the history of Classical architecture. Like Palladianism and Neoclassicism, the Italianate style drew its inspiration from the models and architectural vocabulary of 16th-century Italian R ...

style. When the courthouse opened in 1870, the county was booming economically due to the lumber industry. The courthouse reflected the county's wealth and overlooked the city from atop Zion's Hill. The foundation is built of limestone, and the building has a brick facade and is topped with a prominent dome, cupola, and flagpole. It cost $60,000 to construct, . Over time county needs changed and a new courthouse and Washington County Government Center opened in 1975. Efforts began to reuse the historic structure. Restoration has been funded through donations from local businesses and community groups, as well as grants from foundations. The historic courthouse is now operated as a gathering place and as venue for community, cultural, and private events. According to its mission statement, "The purpose of the operation of the Washington County Historic Courthouse is to preserve, re-adapt, restore and interpret this historic landmark for current and future generations, especially those from Washington County." To this end, the county works with local groups to preserve and maintain the courthouse and grounds, conducts tours, and provides historic interpretation of the county's heritage. The facility is also available for rental, which offsets some of the expenses of maintaining the structure.

References

External links

Washington County Historic Courthouse
{{National Register of Historic Places in Minnesota County courthouses in Minnesota Courthouses on the National Register of Historic Places in Minnesota Former courthouses in Minnesota Government buildings completed in 1870 History museums in Minnesota Italianate architecture in Minnesota Museums in Washington County, Minnesota Stillwater, Minnesota National Register of Historic Places in Washington County, Minnesota

History

See also

References

External links