Divide County | US Courthouses

Divide County is named due to the vote of November 1910 when Williams County was divided to form the new county.

Surrounding County Courthouses:

N – Saskatchewan, Canada

E – Burke County

S – Williams County

W – Sheridan County, Montana

Created: November 8, 1910

County Seat:

Crosby 1910 – present

County Courthouse – Crosby

Location: 200 North Main Street / 2nd Avenue North

Built: 1917 – 1918

Style: Beaux Arts and Classical Revival

Architect: Buechner & Orth of St. Paul, Minnesota

Contractor: Elson Williams Construction Company of Minneapolis, Minnesota

Description: The building faces south and is a three story brown-buff colored brick, limestone and concrete structure. The building is located on spacious landscaped grounds in the center of Crosby. The building has a raised basement. On the center of the roof is an octagonal central dome with silver colored roof and clock. The south front has a Greek-style portico supported by two tall columns. White colored trim surrounds the roof line. The interior features terrazzo floors and dark wood trim. Stairwells and landings have stencil decorated walls, and the rotunda has a mural and stencil painted dome ceiling rather than a skylight. The dome features four large murals with scenes of early area history: Indians traveling on horseback, a railroad town, a dairy farm and a sod house-homestead. Panels between the murals have painted eagles resting on wreathed emblems. Below the murals a decorative bracketed molding circles the dome, supported by corner pilasters with Corinthian caps. Between the pilasters are painted decorative panels. The County District Court courtroom is located at the southeast corner of the third story and has coffered ceiling with egg-and-dart molding, with recesses filled now with acoustical tile. Original furnishings include fold-up gallery seats, swivel jury seats, benches and desks. Above the pilastered judge’s bench is a large mural. Hanging fixtures are brass with glass-globes. The building houses the County District Court of the Northwest Judicial District. In 2016 to 2017, a major three story addition to the courthouse was added on the north side that greatly expanded the square footage. The architect was Klein, McCarthy & Company and the contractor was Construction Engineers, Inc. To the northeast is the Sheriff’s Residence.

See: The architect Buechiner & Orth of St. Paul, Minnesota designed many courthouses.

See: National Register of Historic Places – Divide County Courthouse

See: The Norrhwest Judicial District includes McKenzie County and Williams County.

History: The county was created in 1910 and Crosby was selected as the county seat. The Commissioners met at the Security State Bank in Crosby. Then they met at the Traveler’s Hotel and State Bank of Williams County. The first courthouse was the Sagerty Hall. The second and present courthouse was constructed in 1917. The contractor won the bid at $104,951 but stopped work in 1917 and Max Bowman was hired as superintendent to complete construction. Other contractors were Pauly Jail Building Company for jail cells, Crosby Auto Company for electrical work and Foster and Connelly Heating Company. The addition was constructed in 2016 to 2017.