Oconto County is named for a Native American settlement and the Oconto River, whose name means “plentiful with fish”.
Surrounding County Courthouses:
N – Forest County and Marinette County
E – Marinette County and Door County
S – Brown County and Shawano County
W – Shawano County, Menominee County and Langlade County
Created: February 6, 1851 
County Seat:
Oconto 1851 – present
County Courthouse – Oconto
Location: 301 Washington Street / Collins Avenue
Built: 1891 – 1892
Style: Romanesque Revival / Classical Revival
Architect: Charles H Rau & Roberrt George Kirsch
Contractor: William Kasten.
Description: The building faces south and is a two story buff brick structure. The building is located on landscaped grounds in the center of Oconto. There is a stone foundation. The south front has three sections with peaked roofs. The center section has a large arch at the first story entrance with four vertical windows on the second story. An elliptical medallion in the tympanum of the second-story arch overhead contains the profiles of a fish and a log, recalling the county’s sustaining industries in the late nineteenth century. Terra cotta ornament and a finial trim the peak of the center gable. On the center of the roof is a square dome with clock and rounded red colored roof and gold colored statue of Justice. In the interior, the courtroom is located on the second story. The building houses the County Circuit Court of the 8th Judicial Circuit. The building was completely refurbished in 1907. The architect was Foeller & Schober. The Jail Annex was added on east side in 1960 and office wing on the west side in 1977.
See: The architect, Robert Geoege Kirsch designed courthouses in Missouri in Adair County, Carroll County, Cooper County, Polk County and Vernon County, in Texas in Hemphill County and Randall County, and in Wisconsin in Waukesha County.
See: National Register of Historic Places – Oconto County Courthouse
See: The 8th Judicial District includes Brown County, Door County, Kewaunee County, Marinette County, Outagamie County and Waupaca County.
History: The county was created in 1851 and Oconto was selected as the county seat. The first courthouse was built in 1857. The second and present courthouse was constructed in 1891 to 1892 at a cost of $50,000. A fire in 1907 destroyed the upper story.
County Courthouse – Oconto
Photos taken 2007