Redwood County | US Courthouses

Redwood County is named for the Redwood River and “redwood” is the translation of the Dakota name “chanshayapi”.

Surrounding County Courthouses:

N – Yellow Medicine County and Renville County

E – Renville County and Brown County

S – Brown County, Cottonwood County and Murray County

W – Lyon County and Yellow Medicine County

Created: February 6, 1862

County Seat:

Redwood Falls 1866 – present

County Courthouse ( demolished ) – Redwood Falls

Location: 250 South Jefferson Street NW / 3rd Street

Built: 1891 – 1892

Style: Romanesque Revival

Architect: E P Bassford of Saint Paul

Contractor: William Lettau

Description: The building faced west and was a three story red colored brick and granite structure. The building was located on landscaped grounds in the center of Redwood Falls. The building had a glassed portico at the front entrance. The base of the building was course white colored stone. The roof is hipped. In the interior, the courtroom was located at the center of the third story.There was a small courtroom. An addition was added on the east side in 1970. The architect was Glen Cording Associates, Inc. The building was demolished in 2022.

County Justice Center – Redwood Falls

Location: 250 South Jefferson Street NW / 3rd Street

Built: 2021 – 2022

Style: Modern

Architect: Wold Architects and Engineering of Saint Paul

Contractor: The Contegrity Group of Little Falls

Description: The building faces south and is a two story red colored brick, gray colored Imitation stone and concrete structure. The building is located on landscaped grounds in the center of Redwood Falls. The west side rises to two stories. The entrance section with gray colored imitation stone on the west side of the center juts out from the building. In the interior, the County District The roof line is flat. In the interior a long hallway runs east-west on the south side. Off the hallway along the north side are the County District Court small courtroom and on the east is the County District Court courtroom. The building houses the County District Court of the 5th Judicial District.

See: The 5th Judicial District includes Blue Earth County, Brown County, Cottonwood County, Faribault County, Jackson County, Lincoln County, Lyon County, Martin County, Murray County, Nicolett County, Nobles County, Pipestone County, Rock County and Watonwan County.

History: The county was created in 1862 and Redwood Falls was selected as the county seat in 1866. The first court was convened in a hall owned by J Schmalll in 1866 and the next year court was held over a store owned by Louis Robert. In 1870, the first courthouse was built. In 1872, the courthouse square was deeded to the county by Sam McPail. The second courthouse was built by A Dolvin at a cost of $2,150. The third courthouse was constructed in 1891 to 1892 at a cost of $35,000. The building was demolished in 2022. The fourth courthouse was constructed in 2021 to 2022 at a cost of $10,100,000.

County Government Center – Redwood Falls

Location: 403 South Mill Street / East 4th Street

Built: Unknown – Remodeled 2010

Style: Modern Commercial

Architect: Unknown

Contractor: Unknown

Description: The building faces west and is a one story buff colored brick and concrete structure. The building is located on landscaped grounds in the center of Redwood Falls. The roof line is flat. The building is named as the County Government Center. The building was formerly a commercial building and in 2010 was remodeled. In the interior is a wide hallway running east-west. The architect was Wold Architects & Engineers and the contractor was Construction Analysis & Management Inc.