Winnebago County is named for the Winnebago Native American tribe that inhabited the area.
Created: January 15, 1851
County Seat:
Forest City 1857 – present
County Courthouse – Forest City
Location: 126 South Clark Street / West J Street
Built: 1894 – 1896
Style: Romanesque
Architect: Kinney & Orth
Contractor: F A Gross
Description: The building faces east and is a two story buff colored brick structure. The northeast corner has a large square brick clock tower rising four stories. The front has three arches on the first story. The base of the building is course stone. An addition was added on the west side in 2002.
Note: The first courthouse was built by Martin Bumgardner in 1877. The cost of construction of the present courthouse was $25,000.
Courthouses:
N – Faribault County, Minnesota and Freeborn County, Minnesota
E – Worth County
S – Hancock County
W – Kossuth County
Photos taken 2008 and 2012