Winnebago County - American Courthouses

Winnebago County is named for the Winnebago Indian tribe.

Surrounding County Courthouses:

N – Green County, Wisconsin and Rock County, Wisconsin

E – Boone County

S – Ogle County

W – Stephenson County

Created: March 3, 1836

County Seat:

Winnebago 1836 – 1839

Rockford 1839 – present

County Courthouse – Rockford

Location: 400 West State Street / South Church Street

Built: 1967 – 1968

Style: Modern

Architect: Gilbert A Johnson, Kile, Seehausen & Associates Inc.

Contractor: Sjostrom & Sons Inc.

Description: The building faces north and is a ten story brick, steel, glass and concrete structure. The building is located in the center of Rockford. The building has a high rectangular tower on the northeast side and a lower wing on the west side. The north side is faced with white colored stone and the roof line is flat. In the interior are sixteen County Circuit Court courtrooms. The building houses the County Circuit Court of the 17th Judicial Circuit. On the south side is the County Courthouse Annex designed by J W Royer and built by C W Carson in 1916 to 1917.

County Justice Center – Rockford

Location: 650 West State Street / South Winnebago Street

Built: 2003 – 2004

Style: Modern

Architect: The Durant Group

Contractor: SRB Partners

Description: The building faces east and is a two and three story red and and yellow colored siding, steel, glass and concrete structure. The building is located on landscaped grounds to the west of the courthouse in the center of Rockford. The building has a three story section on the northeast corner with red colored siding and glass walls. Along the east and north front are columns supporting a frame work. Along the south is a two story section with red colored siding on the lower part and yellow colored brick on the upper part. The roof lines are flat. In the interior are four County Circuit Court courtrooms. The building houses the County Circuit Court – Criminal of the 17th Judicial Circuit.

See: The 17th Judicial Circuit includes Boone County.

History: The county was created in 1836 and Winnebago was selected as the county seat but the first court met in 1837 at the home of David S Haight on the northeast corner of Madison Street and State Street in Rockford. In 1838, David S Haight built a one story frame structure at Market Street and Madison Street in Rockford as the first courthouse. In 1839, the county seat was moved to Rockford and in 1841, a frame structure was built on the southeast corner of Chestnut Street and Main Street as the second courthouse. The third courthouse was one story Greek style structure designed by Derastus Harper and John Beatle and built in 1844. The fourth courthouse was designed by Henry L Gay of Chicago and built by W P Richardson of Springfield in 1878. During construction, the dome collapsed killing 12 workmen. An addition was built along the south side in 1916 to 1917 which is still standing. The fifth and present courthouse was constructed in 1967 to 1968. The County Justice Center was constructed in 2003 to 2004.