Blue Earth County Courthouse, Renaissance Revival courthouse in Mankato, United States.
The Blue Earth County Courthouse is a Renaissance Revival building in Mankato crowned by a copper-sheathed dome topped with a statue of Lady Justice. The exterior combines roughly textured rusticated stone with precisely cut ashlar surfaces throughout.
This building was completed in 1889 as the second courthouse for Blue Earth County, replacing an earlier stone structure from 1857. Its construction followed local debates about whether to move the county seat.
The courthouse hosted a Welsh cultural festival in 1873, one of the first of its kind in Mankato. This event, documented by Welsh poet James D. Price, connected the community to Welsh traditions.
Court operations moved to the Blue Earth County Justice Center in 2009, though this historic building continues to serve administrative purposes. Visitors can appreciate the architectural details from the exterior and learn about the building's history.
Stone for the building came from local quarries in the region, showing how regional resources were integrated into this Minneapolis-designed structure. This connection to local geology makes the architecture a blend of place and craftsmanship.
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