The Washington County Historic Courthouse
Near Stillwater, Minnesota
On the bluff above downtown, crowned by a dome and cupola, stands the Washington County Historic Courthouse at one hundred one West Pine Street. It holds a special distinction, for it is one of the oldest standing courthouses in the state of Minnesota. Work began in eighteen sixty seven and finished in eighteen seventy, when Stillwater was riding high on lumber wealth and wanted a seat of government to match its ambitions.
The building was designed by the Saint Paul architect Augustus Knight in a dignified Italianate style, with a limestone foundation, brick walls, and a rounded dome that made it a landmark visible for miles. Alongside it stood a small jail with living quarters for the sheriff. For over a century the courthouse served the county, hosting trials, elections, and the everyday business of local law, until county offices moved to newer quarters.
Rather than let it decay, Washington County preserved the old courthouse as a historic site, and today it is open for tours, weddings, and public events. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in nineteen seventy one. Standing on its hilltop lawn, you get a sweeping view of the river town that talked itself into becoming the birthplace of a state.
