Waseca County Courthouse
National Register of Historic Places

Waseca County Courthouse

Waseca, Waseca County, Minnesota
Listed
September 1, 1982
Type
Building
Period
Industrial
Ref No.
82003070

About this property

The Waseca County Courthouse is the seat of government for Waseca County in Waseca, Minnesota, United States. The 1897 Richardsonian Romanesque building was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1982 for its state-level significance in the themes of architecture and politics/government. It was nominated for being the home of the county's government and for the role that achieving county seat status had on the development of the city. The Waseca County Courthouse is a two-story building of Kasota limestone and buff-colored brick, with a large bell- and clock-tower. It was designed by Minneapolis architects Orff and Joralemon and constructed by J. D. Carroll of St. Paul Park for $55,833. It features polished granite columns supporting triple arches at the entrance. The interior is decorated with wainscoting, oak woodwork, tiled fireplaces, etched glass, paneled doors, and marble flooring. The construction of the Waseca County Courthouse embodies a surge of effort to relocate the county's seat of government. With Waseca County's organization in 1857, Wilton had been given county seat status. A decade later, however, the Winona and St. Peter Railroad opted to route their tracks four miles (6.4 km) north of Wilton through the unassuming town of Waseca. Efforts to move the county seat to the suddenly booming town culminated in a popular vote during the 1870 election. The proposal passed and the county's records and courthouse furniture were moved that very night to a new facility in Waseca, which opened for business the following day. This facility was replaced by the current courthouse in 1897. National Register of Historic Places listings in Waseca County, Minnesota

Location

307 N. State St.
Waseca, Waseca County, Minnesota
44.07981, -93.50778

Categories

POLITICS/GOVERNMENTARCHITECTURE
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

Waseca Commercial Historic District
Listed
0.1 mi
Armstrong, W. J., Company Wholesale Grocers
Industrial
0.2 mi
Bailey, Philo C., House
Industrial
0.2 mi
Wolf, William R., House
Industrial
0.4 mi
Ward, Roscoe P., House
Industrial
0.6 mi

Questions about this property

When was Waseca County Courthouse listed on the National Register?

Waseca County Courthouse was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on September 1, 1982.

What type of historic resource is Waseca County Courthouse?

Waseca County Courthouse is classified as a building in the National Register of Historic Places.

What is the period of significance for Waseca County Courthouse?

The period of significance for Waseca County Courthouse is recorded as the industrial era.

Can I research the history near Waseca County Courthouse?

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