Monroe County is named for James Monroe, who was President of the United States from 1817 to 1825.
Surrounsing County Courthouses:
N – Jackson County
E – Juneau County
S – Vernon County
W – La Crosse County and Jackson County
Created: March 21, 1854 
County Seat:
Sparta 1854 – present
County Courthouse – Sparta
Location: 112 South Court Street / East Oak Street
Built: 1895 – 1896
Style: Richardson Romanesque Revival
Architect: Mifflin Emien Bell
Contractor: M Yeager & Son
Description: The building faces east and is a three story red colored sandstone structure. The building is located on landscaped grounds in the center of Sparta. The east front has a one story portico with balcony on the second story. The center section rises to a peak with small windows. The north and south sections project from the main building. On the center of the roof is a large square red colored sandstone tower with small turrets and steep roof. The red colored sandstone was quarried in the Superior area. Inside the front entrance, the stair rising against the center pavilion retains its steel treads, newels, and decorative railings. Walls and ceilings are generally of painted plaster, and floors of terrazzo. Altered in 1971, the courtroom on the third floor does retain the original oak railing and benches. The building now houses offices. An addition was added on the west side in 1965. The architect was Hackner, Schroeder & Associates. A further addition was constructed in 1988. The architect was Thomas B Lyons and the contractor was John E Clements Construction.
See: The architect, Mifflin Emien Bell also designed the courthouses in DuPage County and Mercer County and in Iowa in Marion County.
See: National Register of Historic Places – Monroe County Courthouse
County Justice Center – Sparta
Location: 112 South Court Street / East Oak Street
Built: 2015 – 2017
Style: Modern
Architect: The Louis Berger Group Inc. of Washington, DC
Contractor: Miron Construction
Description: The building faces east and is a three story red colored brick, glass and concrete structure. The building is located on landscaped grounds on the north side of the courthouse in the center of Sparta. The east front has a central entrance with four white colored pillars rising to a white colored header at the second story. The recessed entrance is glass with large windows on the second story. Above the third story at the roof line is a projecting white colored section. On the south side are brick pillars on the first story with recessed windows. The courtroom s are located in the west section on the second story.
See: The 7th Judicial District includes Adams County, Buffalo County, Clark County, Crawford County, Grant County, iowa County, Jackson County, Juneau County, La Crosse County, Pepin County, Pierce County, Richland County, Trempealeau County and Vernon County.
History: The county was created in 1854 and Sparta was designated as the county seat. The first courthouse was built in 1854. The second courthouse including jail and jailer’s residence were constructed in 1863 at a cost of $20,750. The third and present courthouse was constructed in 1895 to 1896 at a cost of $50,000. The County Justice Center was constructed in 2015 to 2017 at a cost of $28,000,000.
County Administration Center – Sparta
Location: 202 South K Street / Oak Street
Built: 1994 – 1995
Style: Modern
Architect: Lyons Associates of La Crescent, Minnesota.
Contractor: Unknown
Description: The building faces east and is a one story buff colored brick, glass and concrete structure. The building is located on landscaped grounds to the northwest of the courthouse in the center of Sparta. The main entrance is on the east side. The roof line is flat.
County Courthouse - Sparta
County Justice Center – Sparta
County Administration Center – Sparta
Photos taken 2007, 2010 and 2019