LaGrange County is named for the home of Marie Joseph Paul Lafayette near Paris, France.
Surrounding County Courthouses:
N – St. Joseph County, Michigan and Branch County, Michigan
E – Steuben County
S – Noble County
W – Elkhart County
Created: February 2, 1832 
County Seat:
Mongoquinong ( Lima ) 1832 – 1844
LaGrange 1844 – present
County Courthouse – LaGrange
Location: 105 North Detroit Street / West Spring Street
Built: 1878 – 1879
Style: Renaissance Revival
Architect: Thomas J Tolan and Brentwood Tolan of Fort Wayne
Contractor: Charles Boseker and John Begue
Description: The building faces east and is a two story red colored brick structure. The buiding is located on landscaped grounds in the center of LaGrange. The east front has a small portico supported by two columns. On each corner of the building are square towers with mansard roofs. On the center of the roof is a large square brick clock tower with mansard roof and cupola at the top. The windows are narrow and arched. In the interior, the stairs connecting the main floors are cast iron, and many of them are curved. The stairs from the Clerk’s office to the courtroom is a complete spiral. The Circuit Courtroom occupies the entire east end of the second story. Woodwork throughout the building is of walnut alternating with ash and windows have interior folding shutters. All window and door hardware is of cast brass in an attractive designs. The main and upper halls are floored with blocks of black and white colored marble in a diamond pattern. The building houses the County Circuit Court and the County Superior Court of the 6th Judicial District.
See: The architect, Brentwood S Tolan of Fort Wayne also designed courthouses in Allen County, Kosciusko County, LaPorte County, Parke County and Whitley County.
See: National Register of Historic Places – LaGrange County Courthouse
See: The 6th Judicial District includes DeKalb County, Noble County, Steuben County and Whitley County.
History: The county was created in 1832 and Mongoquinong (Lima) was selected as the county seat. The first courthouse was a two story frame structure erected in 1833. LaGrange was selected as the county seat in 1844 and the second courthouse was a frame structure erected in 1843. The third and present courthouse was constructed in 1878 to 1879 at a cost of $71,675.
County Courthouse – LaGrange
Photos taken 2008