Benson County

US States / N / North Dakota / Benson County
Benson

Benson County is named for Bertil W Benson, a Valley City merchant and land dealer who served in the House of Representatives.

 

Surrounding County Courthouses: 

N – Pierce County and Towner County

E – Ramsey County and Nelson County

S – Eddy County and Wells County

W – Pierce County

 

Created:  March 9, 1883                         Map of North Dakota highlighting Benson County

County Seat: 

Minnewaukan  1884 – present

 

County Courthouse – Minnewaukan

 

Location:  311 B Avenue South / 3rd Street East

Built:  1900 – 1901

Style:  Richardsonian Romanesque

Architect:  W G Russell of Grand Forks

Contractor:  D H Lord & Company

 

Description:  The building faces north and is a three story brown colored brick, stone and concrete structure. The building is located on spacious grounds in the center of Minnewaukan. The building has a raised basement of course stone. The principal entrance is at the east end of the facade and is articulated by a one-story recessed porch with corners marked by pairs of stone columns and brick piers. On the north side is square brick tower with a large arched window on the third story and topped by parapet, pyramidal roof a white colored wood cupola. The large arched window illuminates the stairwell and bears on its extrados the legend Benson County. On the interior, west of the entrance, is a particularly handsome example of the divided form of stairway with paneled dado, closed stringer, turned balusters, and columnar newels with stop-fluting. Additional wood trim throughout the building includes paneled doors, baseboards, wainscoting, and picture moldings. An ornate wooden mantelpiece with back mirror and colored tile surround is the focal point of the county commissioners’ meeting room. All the rooms are furnished with dark oak furniture, while the doors, casings, stairs and finishing is a light oak. The ceiling of the County District Court courtroom located on the third story consists of stamped metal rectangles with friezes, separated by beams sheathed in metal stamped in wreath designs. A number of offices have similar but less elaborate ceiling treatments, and walls in the building are plastered, although some have been covered with plywood paneling. The building houses the County District Court of the Northeast Judicial District.

 

See:  National Register of Historic Places – Benson County Courthouse

 

See:  The Norrheast Judicial District includes Bottineau County, Cavalier County, McHenry County, Pembina County. Pierce County, Ramsey County, Renville County, Rolette CountyTowner County and Walsh County

 

History:  The county was created in 1883 and Minnewaukan was selected as the county seat in 1884. The first county office was located in the Arlington Hotel in Minnewaukan. The first courthouse was a one story structure built in 1888. The second and present courthouse was constructed in 1900 to 1901 at a cost of $40,000.

 

 

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County Courthouse - Minnewaukan             

 

 

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County District Court courtroom

 

 

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Photos taken 2007, 2009 and 2022