Visit the birthplace of North Dakota statehood!
The 1883 Historic Stutsman County Courthouse is rich in history.
Dive into the history of that transitional time between territory and state. The Stutsman County Courthouse is the only remaining North Dakota building directly related to the activities of the 1880s statehood movement. Delegates to the state’s constitutional convention were elected at the courthouse where it also held the meetings to discuss the division of the Dakota Territory in 1885.
Hours
Open Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day
- Wednesday – Sunday
- 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.
- Closed Mondays and Tuesdays
Address
504 3rd Ave SE
Jamestown, ND 58401
Phone
Walk the halls of North Dakota’s oldest courthouse and see historic preservation in action.
Not only is the 1883 Historic Stutsman County Courthouse significant governmentally, but it is also significant architecturally.
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.
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.