Sioux County is named for the Sioux Indian tribe who resided in the area, and the word “sioux” is derived from the Chippewa (Ojibway) name of the tribe Nadowe-is-iw”, signifying “snake or little snake”, which was corrupted by the French to Nadowessioux or Sioux.
Surrounding County Courthouses:
N – Fall River County, South Dakota
E – Dawes County and Box Butte County
W – Goshen County, Wyoming and Niobrara County, Wyoming
Created: February 19, 1885
County Seat:
Harrison 1885 – present
County Courthouse – Harrison
Location: 325 Main Street / 3rd Street
Built: 1930 – 1931
Style: Classical Revival
Architect: E L Goldsmith
Contractor: Fullen Construction Company of Scotts Bluff
Description: The building faces east and is a two story gray colored Bedford limestone structure. The rectangular shaped building is located on landscaped grounds in the center of Harrington. Three sides of the building are faced with Bedford limestone and the rear or west façade is faced with light tan colored brick. Six fluted shallow squared pilasters and a round-arched doorway on the east façade identify the entrance, and there is also a minor nonpublic entrance at the back. Ornamentation is shallow and restrained and includes alternating discs and stylized triglyphs along the east cornice, carved panels with delicate Adamesque swags between upper and lower windows, and distinctive acanthus capitals on the fluted pilasters. The roof line is flat. In the interior, the staircase is centered on the rear wall. The combined County District Court and County Court courtroom is located on the second story on the north side of the hallway. The courthouse is an excellent late example of the County Citadel courthouse exhibiting Classical Revival stylistic elements. These include the symmetric arrangement, smooth stone surface, prominent engaged columns or pilasters, relatively unadorned parapet, and such classical elements as swags, fluting, and acanthus. The ornamentation is shallow and in some cases stylized, reflecting the 1930s construction date. Classical detail is interpreted in an Art Deco manner as befits a courthouse designed in the 1930s. The building houses the County District Court and County Court of the 12th Judicial District. The architect was E L Goldsmith and the contractor was Fullen Construction Company of Scottsbluff. On the west side is a small one story Old County Jail
See: The contractor, Fullen Construction Company, Inc. of Scotts Bluff, also constructed the courthouse in Banner County and Brown County.
See: National Register of Historic Places – Sioux County Courthouse
See: The 12th Judicial District includes Banner County, Box Butte County, Cheyenne County, Dawes County, Deuel County, Garden County, Grant County, Kimball County, Morrill County, Scotts Bluff County and Sheridan County.
History: The county was created in 1885 and Harrison was selected as he county seat. The first courthouse was built of locally produced brick, was completed in 1888 to 1889 on the present courthouse site. The architect was H T Zerbe and the contractor was Whitney & Murphy. The courthouse was razed when the second and present courthouse was constructed in 1930 to 1931.
County Courthouse – Harrison
County District Court courtroom
Meeting Room
Old County Jail – Harrison
Photos taken 2007 and 2024
Images 14*