Cook County is named after Major Michael Cook who was killed during the Civil War.
Surrounding County and Canada Courthouses:
N – Ontario, Canada
E – Lake Superior
W – Lake County
Created: March 9, 1874 
County Seat:
Grand Marais 1874 – present
County Courthouse – Grand Marais
Location: 411 West Second Street / 4th Avenue West
Built: 1912 – 1914
Style: Classical Revival
Architect: Kelly and Lignell of Duluth
Contractor: Bowe-Burke Company of Duluth
Description: The building faces east and is a two story buff colored brick and concrete structure. The building is located on spacious landscaped grounds on the north side of the center of Grand Marais. The building sits on a hill overlooking Lake Superior. Iconic columns supporting a cornice on the east with central bays recessed behind the columns in a sort of loggia above and covered porch below. In the interior, the courtroom is located on the second story. The building houses the County District Court of the 6th Judicial District. A two story addition was constructed on the north side in 1997 to `1998 which is joined by an atrium with skylights. On the north side is the old County Jail.
See:: National Register of Historic Places – Cook County Courthouse
See: The 6th Judicial District includes Carlton County, Lake County and Saint Louis County.
History: The county was created in 1874 and Grand Marais was selected as county seat. The first meeting of the commissioners in 1882 was conducted in the Mayhew Brothers Post Office and Trading Post, located on a point of land extending into Lake Superior. The first courthouse was a two story frame structure designed by O A Norman and built by Saul & Skinner in Grand Marais in 1888 to 1889 at a cost of $3,000. The second courthouse was constructed in 1912 to 1914 at a cost of $60,000.
Note: The highest point in Minnesota is Eagle Mountain at 2301 feet ( 702 meters ) and the lowest point is Lake Superior at 602 feet ( 183 meters ) which are both located in the county
County Courthouse – Grand Marais
Old County Jail – Grand Marais
Photos taken 2007 and 2015