Old Washington County Courthouse

 By 1888 the original wood frame County Courthouse, which was been built in 1854, had become too small and had many people concerned about safety. In November of 1888, the county board approved to set aside funds to build a new courthouse, and a building committee was appointed.

After putting out a call for architectural plans, the County Board selected Henry C. Koch and Company of Milwaukee. Koch was born in Celle, Hanover, Germany in 1841 and emigrated with his parents, Albert and Sophie, to the United States when he was one. Establishing his architectural firm in Milwaukee in 1872, he became a renowned architect, with his works including Milwaukee City Hall, the Pfister Hotel, Gesu Church, Grace Lutheran Church, St. Lawrence Church, the Dodge County Courthouse, and many other schools and churches throughout Wisconsin and the Midwest.

By early March 1889, contractors had been hired, and preparations of the site and had begun. In order to make room for the new building, the old frame courthouse was moved the western side of the Courthouse Square in preparation for a further move to downtown West Bend where it would serve as a hardware store for several years. Interestingly, the old frame courthouse was used one last time for the spring session while it was up on rollers. 

By the end of April 1889, excavation was completed and the new foundation was laid. Work progressed swiftly and by the end of July crews laid the second floor. The brick that was used for the building is Cream City brick. Made from clay dug in the Milwaukee area the brick turns yellow when fired because the low levels of iron oxide (which cause the usual red brick coloring) react with high levels of calcium carbonate. The brick is common in the Milwaukee area and was exported across the country and as far as Western Europe. This brick is what gave Milwaukee the nickname of Cream City.

The second half of 1889 saw the completion of the courthouse’s trademark elements, such as the bas relief on terra cotta of Lady Justice. Measuring over 13 feet wide and 7 and a half feet tall, it was made by sculptor Henri Plasschaert of Philidelphia. The relief was put up in sections, but later were joined together in what the July 18, 1889 West Bend Democrat reported as “such an excellent manner as to make it appear as one solid cast”. The main central tower was completed in November, and the art glass windows in the Circuit Courtroom and stairways were installed in early February 1890.

New furniture that was commissioned by the Northwestern Furniture Company in Milwaukee arrived and was arranged about a week before the first spring circuit court session, which began on March 18, 1890.

In the basement, there was a steam heat furnace, which forced heat through ducts to the thirteen Tennessee Tavernelle marble grates disguised as fireplaces throughout the building. Though the building had a central furnace, it originally did not have indoor plumbing or electricity. A large cistern in the attic collected rain water to provide for a washroom and an outhouse was likely located on the west side of the building. Electricity was installed in 1905 and plumbing in 1938.

From 1890 to 1962, the Old Courthouse functioned as the center of Washington County government. In the early days, a circuit court was held twice a year with spring and fall sessions, lasting anywhere between a week and a month, depending on the number of cases that were scheduled. Washington County shared one judge with three other counties, so the judge would travel the “circuit” between counties. Circuit Court cases were usually civil or criminal and could be tried by the court or a jury, but they also heard naturalization petitions. There was also a County or Probate Court in the building. As the county population increased, the court system was centralized to cover just Washington County and all of the judges were assigned to the Circuit Court.

A new courthouse was built on Washington Street (Highway 33) in 1962, the 1889 courthouse became known as the Old Courthouse Annex and housed the Department of Social Services until 1992. During this time, acoustical tiles were glued to the ceilings and walls in the circuit courtroom and drop ceilings installed, covering the beautiful art glass windows.

The last county offices moved to the new building in 1992. The now vacant courthouse was considered for both sale and demolition. In time, the Washington County Historical Society was offered use of the old building and decided to expand its operations, which were then housed next door in the Old Sheriffs’ Residence and Jail.

Between 1992 and 1997, volunteers and contractors stripped paint, removed walls, and cleaned rooms. Restoration efforts restored paintwork, woodwork and the art glass windows. Renovations included adding a small kitchen, ADA bathrooms and cutting through some walls to make a continuous circuit to be used as museum gallery space. Finally, in 1997, the Historical Society moved its operations and collections from the Old Jail to the Old Courthouse. In 2000, work on the parking lot and the installation of an elevator completed the renovations.

West Bend Democrat (West Bend) March 27th 1889.

West Bend Democrat (West Bend ) February 20th 1889.

West Bend Democrat (West Bend) April 3rd 1889.

West Bend Democrat (West Bend) July 31st 1889.

West Bend Democrat (West Bend) July 18th 1889.

Wisconsin Blue Book 1921. Wisconsin. 1921.