Pierce County - American Courthouses

Pierce County is named for Franklin Pierce, who was President of the United States from 1853 to 1857.

Surrounding County Courthouses:

N – Saint Croix County

E – Dunn County and Pepin County

S – Pepin County and Goodhue County, Minnesota

W – Goodhue County, Minnesota, Dakota County, Minnesota and Washington County, Minnesota

Created: February 25, 1858

County Seat:

Prescott 1858 – 1861

Ellsworth 1858 – present

County Courthouse – Ellsworth

Location: 414 West Main Street / South Plum Street

Built: 1905 – 1906

Style: Beaux Arts and Classical Revival

Architect: Buechner and Orth of Minneapolis, Minnesota

Contractor: Charles Skooglun

Description: The building faces south and is a two story stone and concrete structure. The rectangular shaped building is located on the landscaped grounds on a low hill in the center of Ellsworth. The south front portico is supported by two thin columns. The center section rises to a pediment at the roof line. A low closed stone parapet rises above the painted wood cornice above the two-story stone walls. The roof line is flat. The rusticated red sandstone raised basement is cut by regularly-spaced three-quarter-size windows, corresponding to the windows in the stories above. Atop the building is a hexagonal white colored dome with gold painted roof. In the interior, a terrazzo floor with meander border, marble wainscoting, and ornamental brass railing decorate the entry and divided stair over the front door inside. The ceiling of the hexagonal lobby, with dressed limestone walls and marble wainscoting, is edged by a wide denticulated entablature, “supported” by sandstone pilasters dividing alternating shell shaped marble niches and doorways. Original glass-globed wall sconces are hung on the walls. Halls extend from the east and west ends of the rotunda. Widely-spaced turned balusters guard the second-story gallery under the dome. Outdoor scenes painted in shades of green and gray fill alternate faces of the dome; painted ribs ascend to the center hexagon with its stained-glass skylight. There are two County Circuit Court courtrooms located on the east and west sides of the second story and a third courtroom located on the north side of the first story. The building houses the County Circuit Court of the 7th Judicial District. On the west side of the building is the modern County Jail and on the north side is County Administration Building.

See: National Register of Historic Places – Pierce County Courthouse

New County Justice Center (under construction) – Ellsworth

Location: 555 Overlook Drive / Maple Street

Built: 2025 – 2027

Style: Modern

Architect: Market & Johnson Architects

Contractor: Wold Construction

Description: The building faces east and is a two story buff colored brick and concrete structure. The rectangular shaped building is located on spacious landscaped grounds to the north of the center of Ellsworth. The building is next to the Sheriff’s Complex.

See: The 7th Judicial District includes Adams County, Buffalo County, Clark County, Crawford County, Grant County, Iowa County, Jackson County, Juneau County, La Crosse County, Monroe County, Pepin County, Richland County, Trempealeau County and Vernon County.

History: The county was created in 1858 and Prescott was designated as the county seat. The county seat was moved to Ellsworth in 1861 and the first courthouse was erected but the building was unfit. The second courthouse was built by private citizens of Ellsworth in 1862. The third courthouse and a jail were built in 1878 to 1879. The fourth and present courthouse was constructed in 1905 to 1906 at a cost of $80,000.

County Office Building – Ellsworth

Location: 412 West Kinne Street / South Plum Street

Built: 1990

Style: Modern

Architect: Unknown

Contractor: Unknown

Description: The building faces south and is a three story buff colored brick structure. The building is located on the north side of the courthouse. in the center of Ellsworth The main entrance is on the second story with first story situate down the slope of the hill. The roof is pitched.