Richland County is named for the productive land in the County and to promote settlement.
Surrounding County Courthouses:
N – Roosevelt County
E – McKenzie County, North Dakota
S – Wibaux County and Dawson County
W – Dawson County and McCone County
Created: May 27, 1914 
County Seat:
Sidney 1914 – present
County Courthouse – Sidney
Location: 201 West Main Street / 2nd Avenue NW
Built: 1927 – 1928
Style: Beaux Arts
Architect: John G Link of Billings
Contractor: J C Boespflug
Description: The building faces south and is a three story buff colored brick and concrete structure. The rectangular shaped building is located on spacious landscaped grounds in the center of Sidney. The building has a raised basement and the south front has a high projecting center section with two columns rising from the second story to the top of the third story with a pediment rising to the roof line. There is a small balcony at the third story. A wide cornice runs below the flat roof line. On the center of the roof is an octagonal dome with red colored roof ( now black colored). In the interior is a grand staircase, gold-leaf cornices and marble columns. The central dome has a skylight with stained glass. The former courtroom was located at the southwest corner of the third story. The building houses the County administration. The building was renovated in 2010 to 2012. The architect was Stevenson Design of Sidney and the contractor was Kringen Construction, Inc. of Sidney.
Note: The cost of the 2012 renovation were $6,200,000.
See: The architect, John G Link of Montana ( in association with Charles S Haire and others ) designed courthouses in Montana in Big Horn County, Carter County, Custer County, Dawson County, Granite County, McCone County, Musselshell County, Rosebud County, Sheridan County and Silver Bow County; in Oregon in Jackson County and in Wyoming in Park County, Sheridan County and Washakie County.
County Law and Justice Center – Sidney
Location: 300 12 Avenue NW / Holly Street
Built: 2008 – 2010
Style: Modern
Architect: Stevenson Design of Miles City ( SDI Architects + Design, Inc. )
Contractor: Kringen Construction, Inc. of Sidney.
Description: The building faces south and is a two story brick, glass and concrete structure. The rectangular shaped building is located on spacious landscaped grounds to the northwest of the center of Sidney. On the south side is a central entrance with canopy supported by pillars. The windows are horizontal. The roof is hipped. In the interior there is a long hallway on the south side of the second story. The County District Court courtroom and the County Justice Court courtroom are located along the central section of the north side. The building houses the County District Court of the 7th Judicial District and the County Justice Court.
See: The 7th Judicial District includes Dawson County, McCone County, Prairie County, Richland County and Wibaux County.
History: The county was created in 1914 and Sidney was selected as the county seat. The county probably rented offices. The first and present courthouse was constructed in 1927 to 1928. The County Law and Justice Center was constructed in 2008 to 2010 at a cost of $16,000,000.
County Courthouse – Sidney
Former County District Court courtroom
County Law and Justice Center – Sidney
Photos taken 2009, 2011 and 2022