Lincoln County - American Courthouses

Lincoln County is named for Lincoln County, Maine, which was the birthplace of Wilmot W Brookings.

Surrounding County Courthouses:

N – Minnehaha County

E – Lyon County, Iowa and Sioux County, Iowa

S – Union County and Clay County

W – Turner County

Created: April 5,1862

County Seat:

Canton 1867 – present

County Courthouse – Canton

Location: 100 East 5th Street / North Main Street

Built: 1889 – 1890

Style: Romanesque Revival

Architect: Wallace L Dow of Sioux Falls

Contractor: Joel Hewitt and John M Fitzgerald

Description: The building faces south and is a three story buff colored stucco structure. The building is located on landscaped grounds in the center of Canton. The present section was at one time on the east side of the then existing courthouse built in 1875 by the Canton Building and Improvement Association. On south front, a square tower with clock and open arcade, rises above the roof line. The former enclosed portico has been removed. Horizontal bands of dark stone divide the floors and decorate the central tower. The base of the building is sandstone. In the interior is a wood staircase rising to the third story where the large County Circuit Court courtroom is located on the southwest side. There is a second smaller courtroom on the southwest side of the second story. A third courtroom is located on the second story of the attached Administration Section. From 1899 to 1900, an addition was added on the west side with the clock tower and the oldest section of the building constructed in 1875, was removed and replaced by the addition. The building houses the County Circuit Court of the 2nd Judicial District and the County Magistrate Court. The architect was Wallace L Dow of Sioux Falls and the contractor was M E Bush.

See: The 2nd Judicial Circuit includes Minnehaha County.

County Courthouse – Administration Section – Canton

Location: 104 North Main Street / East 4th Street

Built: 2007 – 2008

Style: Modern

Architect: Architecture Incorporated of Sioux Falls

Contractor: Hoogendoorn Construction of Canton

Description: The building faces west and is a three story buff colored brick, concrete and glass structure. The rectangular shaped building is located on landscaped grounds in the center of Canton. On the west side is the main entrance with glass doors and glass window sections on the second and third stores. This section connects with the original courthouse on the south side. The north section extends west and has rectangular windows and a slopped roof. In the interior is a large central atrium rising with central stairs to a large skylight on the roof. The project manager was The Winkels Group of Sioux Falls.

History: The county was created in 1862 and Canton was selected as the county seat in 1867 when the county was organized. The first courthouse was erected and donated to Lincoln County in 1875 by the Canton Building and Improvement Association. The second and present courthouse was constructed in 1889 to 1890 incorporating the 1875 courthouse. The County Administration Building was constructed in 2007 to 2008.