National Register of Historic Places

Renville County Courthouse and Jail

Olivia, Renville County, Minnesota
Listed
June 12, 1986
Type
Building
Period
Industrial
Ref No.
86001281

About this property

The Renville County Courthouse and Jail is a historic building located at 500 East DePue Avenue in Olivia, Minnesota, United States; the seat of Renville County. It was constructed in 1902. The first courthouse in Renville County was built in Beaver Falls in 1872. It was originally built as a jail, at a cost of $2000. In 1889 a 40-by-60-foot (12 m × 18 m) wood-frame building was built, and the 1872 building was again used as the jail. In 1895 the city of Olivia won a battle to become the county seat, and court business was held in a local business building. A court decision returned the county seat to Beaver Falls for two years, but then Olivia finally won the county seat permanently in 1900. Architect Fremont D. Orff from Minneapolis designed the building, which was built at a cost of $88,000. The building has influences from a few different architectural styles. The corner pavilions and the central tower have segmented blue-green copper domes, suggesting Second Empire architecture. The center pavilion has a porch with balusters, fluted columns, and an oculus-pierced pediment, which reflects Georgian architecture. The courthouse and jail were added to the National Register of Historic Places on June 13, 1986.

Location

500 E. DePue Ave.
Olivia, Renville County, Minnesota
44.77648, -94.91955

Categories

ARCHITECTUREPOLITICS/GOVERNMENT
National Register nomination ›
Sources

Property data from the National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service (public domain).

Description adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

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Nearby Historic Sites

Tinnes-Baker House
Industrial
1.3 mi
Heins Block
Industrial
3.5 mi
Birch Coulee
Civil War
14.1 mi
Honner-Hosken House
Industrial
17 mi
District No. 55 School
Industrial
17.2 mi

Nearby Battles

Battle of Birch Coulee — Messenger Attack (September 2, 1862)
1862Indian Wars
5.2 mi
Battle of Birch Coulee — Burial Detail Ambush (September 2, 1862)
1862Indian Wars
5.2 mi
Dakota War – Battle of Birch Coulee
1862Mexican-American War
5.7 mi
Battle of Acton
1862Indian Wars
6.1 mi

Questions about this property

When was Renville County Courthouse and Jail listed on the National Register?

Renville County Courthouse and Jail was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on June 12, 1986.

What type of historic resource is Renville County Courthouse and Jail?

Renville County Courthouse and Jail is classified as a building in the National Register of Historic Places.

What is the period of significance for Renville County Courthouse and Jail?

The period of significance for Renville County Courthouse and Jail is recorded as the industrial era.

Can I research the history near Renville County Courthouse and Jail?

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