McPherson County is named for General James B McPherson, who was a Civil War general from Andover.
Surrounding County Courthouses:
N – McIntosh County, North Dakota and Dickey County, North Dakota
E – Brown County
S – Edmunds County
W – Campbell County
Created: January 8, 1873
County Seat:
Leola 1885 – present
County Courthouse – Leola
Location: 706 Main Street / Broadway Avenue
Built: 1927 – 1928
Style: Classical Revival
Architect: Buechner & Orth of St. Paul, Minnesota
Contractor: Majerus Company
Description: The building faces south and is a stately three story red colored brick and concrete structure. The rectangular shaped building is located on landscaped grounds in the center of Leola. On the south side, the center section projects and has two columns rising from the second story to the top of the third story. Over the entrance is an eagle and stone columns rising to the third story. The center section on the other sides also project. The roof line is flat. In the interior, stairs ascend to the second story were a central rotunda rises to a skylight with four murals at the third story. The County Circuit Court courtroom is located at the northeast side of the third story. The building houses the County Circuit Court of the 5th Judicial District and the County Magistrate Court.
See: The architect Buechner & Orth of St. Paul, Minnesota designed many courthouses.
See: The 5th Judicial Circuit includes Brown County, Campbell County, Day County, Edmunds County, Faulk County, Marshall County, Roberts County, Spink County and Walworth County.
History: The county was created in 1873 and Leola became the county seat in 1883 when the county was organized. The first courthouse was a two story wood frame structure. The second and present courthouse was constructed in 1927 to 1928.
County Courthouse – Leola
County Circuit Court courtroom
Photos taken 2007 and 2024
Images 18*