The historic Washington County Courthouse in Washington County, Minnesota

Washington County, Minnesota

Washington County is a county established in 1849 in the U.S. state of Minnesota. As of 2010, the population was 238,136. Its county seat is Stillwater.-History:...

 is one of the oldest standing courthouses in Minnesota

Minnesota

Minnesota is a U.S. state located in the Midwestern United States. The twelfth largest state of the U.S., it is the twenty-first most populous, with 5.3 million residents. Minnesota was carved out of the eastern half of the Minnesota Territory and admitted to the Union as the thirty-second state...

. It is located in the county seat of Stillwater, Minnesota

Stillwater, Minnesota

As of the census of 2000, there were 15,143 people, 5,797 households, and 4,115 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,340.0 people per square mile . There were 5,926 housing units at an average density of 915.7 per square mile...

. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places

National Register of Historic Places

The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...

 in 1971.

The courthouse was designed by Augustus Knight of St. Paul, in the Italianate style. When the courthouse opened in 1870, the county was doing a booming business in 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.

When the county offices were moved to the new Washington County Government Center in 1975, efforts began to reuse the structure. Restoration has been funded through donations from local businesses and community groups, as well as grants from foundations. The historic courthouse is still in operation and serves as a gathering place and as a venue for community, cultural, and private events. The mission statement states, "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.

External links

• Washington County Courthouse - including visiting information and tours