Williams County is named for Erastus Appelman Williams of Bismarck, North Dakota (1850-1930), an outstanding figure in the political history of the Dakota Territory and North Dakota who served during ten legislative sessions.
Surrounding County Courthouses:
N – Divide County
E – Burke County and Mountrail County
S – McKenzie County
W – Roosevelt County, Montana
Created: November 30, 1891 
County Seat:
Williston 1891 – present
County Courthouse – Williston
Location: 205 East Broadway / 2nd Avenue East
Built: 1953 – 1954
Style: Modern
Architect: William Kurke and Associates of Fargo
Contractor: Johson-Gillander of Grand Forks
Description: The building faces south and is a three story concrete and glass structure. The building is located in the center of Williston. The first story is faced with a rose marble stone and the upper part is a white colored polished stone. At the south front, the entrance is towards the west side and has narrow windows divided by protruding dividers on the second and third stories.The building houses the County District Court of the Northwest Judicial District. In 2016 to 2018 a large addition for the Law Enforcement Center was constructed on the east side. The architect was Klein McCarthy and the contractor was JE Dunn Construction of Kansas City, Missouri.
See: The Northwest Judicial District includes Divide County and McKenzie County.
History: The county was created in 1891 and Williston was selected as the .county seat. The first court met in the Odd Fellows Lodge. The first courthouse was a frame structure built by H E Fields and R E Patch in 1894 at a cost of $1171. The second courthouse was designed by Charles E Bell and John N Kent and built by Lease & Richards of Helena, Montana in 1899 at a cost of $11,456. The third and present courthouse was constructed in 1953 to 1954 at a cost of $715,000.
County Administration Building – Williston
Location: 206 East Broadway / 2nd Avenue East
Built: 2017 – 2019
Style: Modern
Architect: JLG Architect of Grand Forks
Contractor: JE Dunn Construction of Kansas City, Missouri
Description: The building faces north and is a three story steel concrete and glass structure. The building is located in the center of Williston on the south side of the courthouse. The east rectangular section is three stories and the west section is one story.
County Courthouse – Williston
Old Red Brick 1899 Courthouse – Williston
Picture 1899 Old Red Brick County Courthouse – Williston
Photos taken 2007 and 2009