Waukesha County - American Courthouses

Waukesha County is named for a Potawatomi Native American word meaning “little foxes”.

Surrounding County Courthouses:

N – Dodge County and Washington County

E – Milwaukee County

S – Racine County and Walworth County

W – Jefferson County

Created: January 31, 1846

County Seat:

Waukesha 1846 – present

County Courthouse and Courts Tower – Waukesha

Location: 515 West Moreland Boulevard / Pewaukee Road

Built: 1958 – 1959

Style: Modern

Architect: Foss and Jansma, Inc.

Contractor: Oliver Construction Company of Oconomowoc

Description: The building faces north and is a three story glass, brick and concrete structure. The building is located on landscaped grounds in the center of Waukesha. The building is “L” shaped and the center section is glass with vertical dividers. The north entrance is also glass and extends from the main building. On the west side is a three story wing with the third story recessed and horizontal windows. The roof line is flat. The building houses the County Circuit Court of the 3rd Judicial Circuit. In 2019 to 2021, the Courts Tower was completed in the Government Complex on the south side of the courthouse. The building is a four story glass and precast concrete structure. There are horizontal windows and hallways along the east side. The building houses eight County Circuit Court courtrooms with two courtrooms on each story. The architect was Zimmerman Architectural Studios, Inc. and the contractor was Gilbane Building Company On the northeast side is the brown colored brick County Administration Building.

See: The 3rd Judicial District includes Dodge County, Jefferson County, Ozaukee County and Washington County.

County Administration Building – Waukesha

Location: 1320 Pewaukee Road / West Moreland Boulevard

Built: Unknown

Style: Modern

Architect: Unknown

Contractor: Unknown

Description: The building faces east and is a four story buff and brown colored brick. glass and concrete structure. The building is located on landscaped grounds in the center of Waukesha on the east side of the courthouse. The roof line is flat.

Old County Courthouse – Waukesha

Location: 101 West Main Street / North East Avenue

Built: 1892 – 1893

Style: Richardsonian Romanesque

Architect: Charles H Rau & Robert George Kirsch

Contractor: H C Hartwell

Description: The building faces north and is a three story gray colored limestone structure. The building faces north and was completed in 1893. The building is located on landscaped grounds in the center of Waukesha. The north front has a large arched entrance at the center, A square tower rises above the roof line with small cupola at the top. The corners have turrets with conical roofs. The west wing was constructed in 1938 to 1939 and connects with the old County Jail built in 1858. The building now houses a museum.

See: The architect, Robert George Kirsch designed courthouses in Missouri in Adair County, Carroll County, Cooper County, Polk County and Vernon County, in Texas in Hemphill County and Randall County, and in Wisconsin in Oconto County.

See: National Register of Historic Places – Waukesha County Courthouse

History: The county was created in 1846 and Waukesha ( Prairieville ) was selected as the county seat. The first courthouse was a two story Greek Revival structure built in 1848 to 1849. The second courthouse was constructed in 1892 to 1893 and is still standing. The third and present courthouse was constructed in 1958 to 1959 at a cost of $2,670,500.

Court of Appeals – Division II – Waukesha

Location: 2727 Grandview Boulevard / Silvernail Road

Built: Unknown

Style: Modern Commercial

Architect: Unknown

Contractor: Unknown

Description: The building faces west and is a three story glass, brick and concrete structure. The building is located on landscaped grounds to the north of the center of Waukesha. The building is square shaped with horizontal windows. The building houses the Court of Appeals Second Division on the third story.