Visit the birthplace of North Dakota statehood!

Walk the halls of North Dakota’s oldest courthouse and see historic preservation in action.

Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, it is significant for its architectural style, and for its pressed metal interior, which coats the interior walls of the building. The courthouse has the most complete collection of pressed tin in the state of North Dakota and perhaps, the Midwest. It is the only remaining North Dakota building directly related to the activities of the 1880s statehood movement. 

Read more about the 1883 Stutsman County Courthouse’s historical role.

Designed by Henry C. Koch, a Wisconsin architect, the courthouse was completed in less than a year. The building served as the center of county government until the early 1980s when Stutsman County vacated the premises and attempted to demolish it in favor of a parking lot. Local citizens rallied to save the building and after 15 years of legal battles, ownership of the courthouse was transferred to the State Historical Society in 1991.

Restoration efforts have been continuous since the 1990s. In recent years, the courthouse has seen tremendous progress on the interior restoration. Visitors to the site will truly see historic preservation in action!

In 2020 the 1883 Courthouse became one of the first museums in the U.S. to specialize in American Civics. From the courtroom to the surveyor’s office, hands-on objects support enjoyable experiences for the whole family.