Towner County | US Courthouses

Towner County is named for Oscar M Towner ( 1842-1897 ) of Larimore, who was the founder of the Elk Valley bonanza farm in Grand Forks County and a member of the House of Representatives.

Surrounding County Courthouses:

N – Manitoba, Canada

E – Cavalier County and Ramsey County

S – Ramsey County and Benson County

W – Pierce County and Rolette County

Created: March 8, 1883

County Seat:

Cando 1884 – present

County Courthouse – Cando

Location: 315 2nd Street / 4th Avenue

Built: 1898 – 1899

Style: Queen Anne

Architect: A J O’Shea

Contractor: Watterwoth and Fee

Description: The building faces south and is a four story buff colored brick and stone structure. The building is located on spacious landscaped ground on the north side of the center of Cando. The building is a “T” shape with a north wing. The base of the building is stone. At the entrance the building projects and rises to a peaked roof. The roof is hipped. The upper structure has wood roof dorms. The structure has an interior of wooden floors and wainscoting, and plaster walls. The interior spaces show little evidence of recent alteration. The County District Court courtroom is located on the west side of the third story. The building houses the County District Court of the Northeast Judicial District. The Commissioners Room is located on the first story. The building was remodeled in 1959. On the grounds is an Old Schoolhouse.

See: National Register of Historic Places – Towner County Courthouse

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

History: The county was created in 1883 and Cando was selected as the county seat in 1884. The county used rented premises until the first and present courthouse was constructed in 1898 to 1899 at a cost of $17,927.