Edmunds County is named for Newton Edmunds, who was the second Dakota Territorial Governor from 1863 to 1866.
Surrounding County Courthouses:
N – McPherson County
E – Brown County
S – Faulk County and Potter County
W – Walworth County
Created: January 8, 1873
County Seat:
Ipswich 1883 – present
County Courthouse – Ipswich
Location: 210 2nd Street / 3rd Avenue East
Built: 1933 – 1935
Style: Art Deco
Architect: Roland R Wilcken
Contractor: Gray Construction Company of Watertown
Description: The building faces south and is a stately three story light tan colored brick, Bedford stone and concrete structure. The rectangular shaped building is located on landscaped grounds to the east of the center of Ipswich. The building has vertical white colored stone pilasters along the edges and around the main entrance on the west side where the center section projects from the main building. A white colored belt runs along the flat roof line. The third and second levels have five window openings with a basket-weave brick pattern below. The interior includes pink colored Tennessee marble. Stairs ascend to a central lobby on the first story and continue up to the third story. The County Circuit Court courtroom is located along the south side of the third story. The building houses the County Circuit Court of the 5th Judicial District and the County Magistrate Court.
See: The contractor, Gray Construction Company of Watertown also constructed courthouses in Clark County, Codington County, Douglas County, Faulk County, Hamlin County, Hyde County, Sully County and Walworth County.
See: National Register of Historic Places – Edmunds County Courthouse
See: The 5th Judicial Circuit includes Brown County, Campbell County, Day County, Faulk County, Marshall County, McPherson County, Roberts County, Spink County and Walworth County.
History: The county was created in 1873 and organized in 1883 with the county seat at Ipswich. The first courthouse was a small stone structure built in 1883.The building was demolished in 1933. The second and present courthouse was constructed in 1933 to 1935 at a cost of $61,000.
County Courthouse – Ipswich
County Circuit Court courtroom
Photos taken 2007, 2016 and 2024
Images 20*