Work on the new Court House, under the supervision of J. H. Grindall, Esq., contractor, is progressing finely. Most of the basement walls are up, ready for the water tables, and a portion of the brick for the upper walls is on the ground. The stone for the water tables was procured from the Mantorville quarry and brought here on the railroad cars. The brick for the structure are manufactured at the yard of Cross, Steadman & Stone, in East Rochester, and are of a superior quality. The site of the Court house is admirable, with perhaps, one exception, it is rather too far from the business center for perfect convenience. On the eminence just above the Churches, on Zumbro street, commanding a splendid view of the town and surrounding country, the site is beautiful, and with good sidewalks from Broadway, convenient of access. The building, when finished, we are assured by Mr. Grindall, will be the best public edifice in the State and we are sure that the citizens of Olmsted county will feel a pride in calling it their own. (The Rochester Republican, Thursday, July 19, 1866, Page 4)
We made a call at the brick yard of Messrs. Cross, Stedman & Stone, in East Rochester a few days since and witnessed for a short time the laborious and rather unpleasant process of brick making. They have a fine yard and the material for the manufacture of brick convenient, with the exception of wood. The brick for the Court House is being made at this yard, and there’s no better article of brick manufactured in the city. (The Rochester Republican, Thursday, August 9, 1866, Page 4)
We visited the Court House grounds a day or two since, and were much gratified with the appearance of the rising edifice. The basement is all complete, and the upper walls – of brick – are growing apace. The work thus far has been well and honorably done, and the contractor, Mr. Grindall, assures us that the same order will be observed throughout the progress of the job. The plan of laying the corners of the upper walls with nicely dressed stone, strikes us as being a very desirable feature in the building. It not only adds to the strength of the walls, but heightens their beauty and grandeur. The plans carried out and the character of the balance of the work being as good as that already done, our new Court House will be an honor to the county and an ornament to the city. (The Rochester Republican, Thursday, September 6, 1866, Page 4)
We notice that the work on our new Court House, under the superintendence of Mr. Grindel, is being pushed vigorously forward. The workmen are now engaged in putting on the roof, which is to be of shingle. We learn that the shingle are furnished by Laird Norton & Co. These gentlemen have an extensive manufactory in connection with their saw mill, and their shingles are said to be superior to any in market. (The Rochester Post, Saturday, December 1, 1866, Page 8)
The rooms in the Court House are not yet finished and the new offices have a rough look, but by spring, when the walls are plastered and the doors hung, they will be the best County offices in the State; and even in their unfinished condition, they are more comfortable than the dens in the old building just abandoned. (The Rochester Post, Saturday, January 26, 1867, Page 8)
The carpenters have been at work this week erecting a cupola on the Court House. It is to be forty feet in height, with windows on all sides, and will add greatly to the appearance of the building. Mr. Grindall expects to have the Court House finished sometime in June. (The Rochester Post, Saturday, April 13, 1867, Page 10)
The New Court House is rapidly approaching completion. The interior of the Court Room is being plastered and will be ready for the session of the Court on Monday. It is a large and handsome hall. The offices are also being completed and the exterior of the building is improving in appearance, as it is now nearly finished. The grounds are being graded and adorned with trees. Zumbro street is to be cut down and the whole vicinity will be improved by the completion of the Court House. We are glad to see that the lot is to be enclosed with a fence. Too many of the pretty oaks that grace the slope have been graded b the folly of men who seem to think that the Almighty has created trees in artistic beauty and adorned them with grateful foliage only to provide hitching posts for their beasts, scarcely more thoughtless than themselves. (The Rochester Post, Saturday, June 15, 1867, Page 3)
Three years ago the people of Olmsted County voted a tax to build a Court House. About a year and a half ago, active operations commenced in the erection of the structure, under the supervision of Mr. J. H. Grindall, of St. Paul, contractor. The frequent and unusually heavy rains of last season, together with the vast labor and difficulty in obtaining required material, caused the building process to proceed rather slowly – but through persistent and well directed effort, the Court House has been erected – an ornament to the City and a lively and imposing tribute to the enterprise and liberality of the citizens of Olmsted County. The Court House grounds, embracing nearly 2 ¾ acres, occupy a beautiful eminence on Zumbro Street, convenient of access and commanding a splendid view of the City in nearly its entire extent. The grounds, including the street in front, have been nearly graded, forming an agreeable descent from the edifice in every direction. Clusters of young native trees have been carefully pruned, adding much to the beauty and attractiveness of the situation. The main building, including the wings, occupies a space of 68 feet front by 98 feet in depth. The building above the basement is two stories in height; the first being 16 feet between floor and ceiling, and the second 21 feet 9 inches. The extreme height of building from ground line to base of dome is 58 feet. The dome is circular in form, 18 feet in diameter at the base and 46 feet high – making the whole height from the ground line to the top of the dome, 104 feet. The ascent to the interior of the dome is safe and easy, and when gained, a view of the city and surrounding country is had, which, for beauty and grandeur, is not easily excelled or described. On the first floor, a hall, 12 ½ feet wide, runs the entire length of the building. The several County offices are arranged on either side of the hall as follows: First, at the right, is the office of the Probate Judge; next, the Treasurer’s office, and then the Auditor’s. Opposite the Auditor’s office the Register of Deeds’ office, next to which is the Clerk of the Court’s office and lastly, the Sheriff’s office. The rooms of the Auditor and Register of Deeds are furnished with capacious-fire proof vaults, for the protection against fire of the books and records of the County. In this connection, however, it is but fair to state that some means of ventilation will be necessary to render the vaults fit depositories of books and papers, on account of the close damp air which prevails in those rooms. The office rooms are commodious, pleasant and well lighted. At the end of the main hall is a double elliptical stairway, leading to the Court Room on the second floor. At the top of the stairway, is a lobby, 25 by 29 feet. On either side of the lobby is a jury room, 11 by 21 feet in size. The Court Room is 51 by 60 feet, spacious and elegant, furnished with ventilators or hot air screens, and when the appropriate furniture is put in, it will be excelled by no public room in the State. The plans and specifications of the building were sketched by Mr. A. F. Knight, Architect, of St. Paul, but to Mr. W. D. Hurlbut, of this City, Chairman of the Board of County Commissioners, are the people of Olmsted County indebted for the original designs, in detail, of this imposing structure. And although, every gentleman, composing the Board, has exerted every effort in advancing this noble enterprise, Mr. Hurlbut, from his position on the Board and from his location, has given more of his time and personal attention to the work than other members of the Board could be expected to do. The entire cost of the building will not exceed thirty thousand dollars, and from the size, plan and finish of the edifice, it cannot be questioned that the funds appropriated for this undertaking have been economically expended. But one imperfection, that we are aware of, has been discovered in the construction of the Court House, and that is in the roof, which is, from some cause, seriously defective, it leaking badly in several places. The defect, however, we hope will be speedily remedied, and that no further ground of complaint in this regard be allowed to exist. (The Rochester Post, Saturday, August 17, 1867, Page 3)