Watonwan County Courthouse facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Watonwan County Courthouse
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The Watonwan County Courthouse from the northwest
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 Location in Minnesota
Location in the United States
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| Location | 710 2nd Avenue South, St. James, Minnesota |
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| Area | Less than one acre |
| Built | 1895–96 |
| Built by | Otto Kleinschmidt |
| Architect | H.C. Gerlach |
| Architectural style | Romanesque Revival |
| NRHP reference No. | 86003591 |
| Designated | January 7, 1987 |
The Watonwan County Courthouse is a special building in St. James, Minnesota. It's where the local government for Watonwan County works. This courthouse has been used non-stop since it was finished way back in 1896!
It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1987. This means it's a very important building for its history and amazing design. People love its beautiful Romanesque Revival architecture. It's also one of the few large, old-fashioned Victorian courthouses left in Minnesota. Plus, it has served as the main government center for the county for a very long time.
The Story of the Watonwan County Courthouse
How the County Seat Moved
When Watonwan County was first created in 1860, the town of Madelia was chosen as the county seat. This meant Madelia was the main town for the county government. A courthouse was built there around 1861.
But then, St. James started to grow. It was in the middle of the county and was a big hub for the Chicago, St. Paul, Minneapolis and Omaha Railway. Soon, a big fight started between Madelia and St. James over which town should be the county seat.
In 1872, the first wooden courthouse in Madelia burned down. To keep the county seat, officials in Madelia quickly rented space in a new building called Flanders' Block. However, people from St. James asked for a vote. In 1874, the voters decided to move the county seat to St. James!
Building the New Courthouse
The first courthouse in St. James was a simple wooden building. It was built on land given by the railroad company. But the county needed something grander.
So, a new courthouse was designed by H.C. Gerlach, an architect from Mankato. Otto Kleinschmidt, a builder also from Mankato, constructed it. The work happened between 1895 and 1896.
This new building was huge and impressive. It showed how strong the government was and how important traditional values were in St. James, even though the city was only 25 years old. Experts say it's one of the most important Victorian buildings in the whole county because of its amazing design and size.
