Walsh County is named for George H Walsh ( 1845 – 1913 ), who was a newspaperman and politician in Grand Forks.
Surrounding County Courthouses:
N – Cavalier County and Pembina County
E – Marshall County, Minnesota
S – Grand Forks County and Nelson County
W – Ramsey County
Created: May 20, 1881 
County Seat:
Grafton 1881 – present
County Courthouse – Grafton
Location: 600 Cooper Avenue / East 6th Street
Built: 1940 – 1941
Style: Art Deco
Architect: Theodore B Wells
Contractor: Johnson – Gillanders Company
Description: The building faces west and is a three story white colored Indiana limestone and steel structure. The rectangular shaped building is located on spacious landscaped grounds on the east side of the center of Grafton. Five bays comprise the 73 feet by 114 feet building size, and the central three bays are set back and elevated slightly from the corner bays. The building’s flat roof is surmounted by a metal deck. The center part of the building is projecting with Rainbow marble from St. Cloud, Minnesota forming a large frame for the front door. Aluminum is used in the front doors and the exterior grill work above. The building rests on a stone basement. A diverse collection of metals, woods, and marble decorate the building. Other decorative elements on the building’s exterior include recessed fluted pilasters topped by medallions, both of which flank the front door, and ornamental spandrels. Aluminum is used on the top half of the interior stairway rails. Montana Travertine marble sheaths the interior corridor and walls and bottom half of the stair rail; terrazzo covers the floors. Tennessee gray marble pilasters are found throughout the second floor corridor. The large County District Court courtroom is located on the east side of the third story with the judge’s bench being a composite of Brazilian Rosewood and White African Zebrawood inlays. Benches are an African walnut with red birch inlays. The building houses the County District Court of the Northeast Judicial District. A one story addition was attached on the east side in 1980.
See: The contractor, Johnson-Gillanfers Company, also constructed the courthouse in Nelson County.
See: Other Art Deco style courthouses are located in Burleigh County, Emmons County, Hettinger County, Ransom County, Sheridan County and Stark County.
See: National Register of Historic Places – Walsh 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 Towner County.
County Administration Building – Grafton
Location: 638 Cooper Avenue / East 78th Street
Built: 1964 – 1965
Style: Modern
Architect: Wells, Denbrook & Associates Inc. and Mooney, Henins & Associates
Contractor: Johnson – Gillanders Company Inc.
Description: The building faces north and is a one story buff colored brick and concrete structure. The building faces north and was completed in 1965. The building is located on spacious landscaped grounds on the south side of the courthouse on the east side of the center of Grafton. The central entrance on the north side projects from the building. The roof line is flat.
History: The county was created in 1881 and Grafton was designated as the county seat. The first courthouse was a two story building designed by F C Corser and built by McNicol & McAdam in 1886. The second and present courthouse was constructed in 1940 to 1941.
County Courthouse – Grafton
County District Court courtroom
County Administration Building – Grafton
Photos taken 2006, 2008, 2018 and 2022