Addison County is named for Joseph Addison, who was an English politician and a writer.
Surrounding County Courthouses:
E – Washington County, Orange County and Windsor County
S – Windsor County and Rutland County
W – Washington County, New York and Essex County, New York
Created: October 18, 1785 
County Seat:
Addison 1785 – 1791
Middlebury 1791 – present
County Courthouse – Middlebury
Location: 7 Mahady Court / Court Street
Built: 1995 – 1996
Style: Modern Queen Anne
Architect: J Graham Goldsmith of Burlington
Contractor: Bread Loaf Corporation of Middlebury
Description: The building faces west and is a two red colored brick and concrete structure. The building is located on landscaped grounds in the center of Middlebury. The west front has a long one story porch supported by seven columns. The center section of the building projects and rises to a peaked roof with circular window at the top. The roof is hipped. The building houses the Vermont Superior Court – Civil, Criminal, Family and Probate. The building is named as the Judge Frank Mahady Courthouse. The building is located east of the old courthouse.
Old County Courthouse – Middlebury
Location: 5 Court Street / Mahady Court
Built: 1883 – 1884
Style: Queen Anne
Architect: Clinton Smith and William Allan of Middlebury
Contractor: Clinton Smith of Middlebury
Description: The building faces west and is a two story red colored brick and wood structure. The building is located in the center of Middlebury to the west of the courthouse. The west front has a one story portico at the entrance and above is an arched window. The northwest corner has a three story red colored brick tower with steep roof. The southwest corner has a square tower rising to a hipped roof with square white colored cupola. The hipped roof has a dormer on the west side and gable ends along the sides of the building. In the interior, there are wood stairs which ascend to the second story where the former courtroom was located and which is now office space. The building is now owned by the Middlebury College.
History: The county was created in 1785 and Addison was selected as the county seat. The first court met at the homes of Benjamin Payne in Chimney Rock, Zadock Everett and Jonah Case. In 1791 the county seat was moved to Middlebury and the court met in the taverns of John Deming and Samuel Mattocks. The first courthouse was a two story structure with a belfry and fan window in its gable built in 1796 to 1798. In 1882, the building was moved to Court Street and was later torn down in 1939. The second courthouse was built in 1883 to 1884 and is still standing. The third and present courthouse was constructed in 1995 to 1996.
County Courthouse – Middlebury
Old County Courthouse Middlebury
Picture 1798 County Courthouse
Picture 1996 County Courthouse
Photos taken 2014 and 2018