Steele County Courthouse - Owatonna, MN - U.S. National Register of Historic Places on Waymarking.com

"The Steele County Courthouse is located within Owatonna's commercial district at 139 East Main Street. This one story, forty-two foot square building is constructed of buff-colored brick on a dressed stone foundation. The roof is formed by a slightly pitched hip. The principal facade of the building is divided into three bays by a central entry with flanking windows. Burnt orange bricks are employed to highlight the building's Italianate design features. These features include a corbelled cornice, segmentally arched widowhoods, and a keystone arched principal entry. Dressed stones form the window sills.

"In 1973 the Owatonna Chamber of Commerce undertook an extensive project to rehabilitate the building. The exterior was cleaned to remove a dull coat of red paint; mortar was replaced where necessary. The original multi-paned, double hung windows were replaced with single-sash, thermo- paneglass(which conformed to the original window openings). Interior rehabilitation included the removal of temporary interior wall partitions. The interior walls were insulated and faced with wall paneling.

"The Steele County Courthouse, constructed in 1874, is significant as the location of Steele County's government offices from 1874 to 1891. Although the building no longer serves as a seat of county government, it has continued to function as a public building since its construction.

"When Steele County had outgrown this building in 1891 a new courthouse was constructed. From 1891 to the present the building has served as a school, museum, and meeting place for the Steele County Historical Society; a meeting place for such civic organizations as the United Fund and the Owatonna Development Company; and currently as a building to house the offices of the Owatonna Chamber of Commerce.

"Architecturally, the building is a well preserved example of the Italianate style."

Cited from National Register of Historic Places Inventory - Nomination Form
(visit link)

Street address: 111 E. Main St. Owatonna, MN USA 55060 County / Borough / Parish: Steele County Year listed: 1978 Historic (Areas of) Significance: Politics/Government, Architecture - Romanesque Periods of significance: 1875-1899, 1850-1874 Historic function: Government Courthouse Current function: Social Civic - Owatonna Chamber of Commerce Privately owned?: no Primary Web Site: [Web Link] Secondary Website 1: [Web Link] National Historic Landmark Link: [Web Link] Season start / Season finish: Not listed Hours of operation: Not listed Secondary Website 2: Not listed

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