Our County Commissioners are to be heartily congratulated for moving in the matter of securing a new Court House. The people of Steele county have, at last, become tired of holding the District Court over a saloon, and doing the county business in what has been fittingly called the “County Poor House.” (The People’s Press, Owatonna, Friday, July 18, 1890, Page 8)
Contract was made and entered into with F. D. Allen as architect of the Steele County House for all plans and specifications, workings, drawings and all necessary detail drawings full size or on a large scale, for the sum of $1200 to be paid when contract for building is let, provided, however, that should the Board be unable to contract the erection of said Court House, including steam and hot water heating, and stationary furniture for the sum of $40000.00 or less, then this contract to be null and void and of no effect. (The People’s Press, Owatonna, Friday, December 12, 1890, Page 1)
The Board of County Commissioners of Steele county, Minnesota, will receive and open bids on February the 12th next at 1 o’clock, P. M. at the office of the County Auditor in Owatonna, for the construction of a Court House. Plans and specifications can be seen at the Auditor’s office, Owatonna, and at the office of T. D. Allen, Architect, No. 1505 20th Avenue North, Minneapolis, Minn. (The People’s Press, Owatonna, Friday, January 23, 1891, Page 1)
...The four lowest bids were taken and the Board decided to use Lake Superior brown sand stone for all trimmings and range work, slate for roofing and let heating and plumbing separate. ...On motion the contract was awarded to Leck and McLeod at $39,391, they being the lowest bidder. (The People’s Press, Owatonna, Friday, February 20, 1891, Page 1)
The (Austin Pressed Brick) company is receiving more orders than they can immediately fill. Among them are 80,000 for the new court house at Owatonna… (Mower County Transcript, Austin, Minnesota, Wednesday, May 13, 1891, Page 8)
The large foundation stone for the new Steele county Court House are being laid this week. They are very heavy and are being laid in place with a crane and tackle. (The People’s Press, Owatonna, Friday, May 15, 1891, Page 8)
Mr. August McLeod, of the firm of Leck & McLeod, contractors and builders, of Minneapolis, returned home on the afternoon train last Tuesday. After about two weeks he expects to be able to remain in Owatonna and devote his entire attention to the building of the new Steele County Court House. (The People’s Press, Owatonna, Friday, June 26, 1891, Page 1)
The brown stone which are being laid in the new Steele County Court House, are greatly admired. As these stone grow harder with age and stand fire much better than limestone, the selection was a good one by our efficient Board of County Commissioners. (The People’s Press, Owatonna, Friday, June 26, 1891, Page 1)
The rough work on the basement story of the new Steele County Court House is about completed and the water table of red sandstone is being set in place. The brick work on the center walls has been laid up to the height of the first story and the work has been well done under the supervision of Mr. D. F. Allen. The vaults will be fire proof, the roof being carried by steel I beams and the floor laid with tile. The floor or hail will be laid with tile and have bases along walls of marble. The floors of the offices will be red oak. The corridor at the entrance in the southwest corner has a floor of Kasota stone. This floor consists of two large flags, size of each 5 feet, 9 inches by 6 inches thick. Around this corridor is a fine, smooth, pressed brick wall laid in red mortar. About this corner entrance will stand eight polished granite columns with carved capitals. The same number of polished granite columns with carved capitals will decorate the front entrance. The front steps will be of Kasota stone. The outer shell of the Court House will be of pressed brick four inches thick which will be firmly bound to the inner twelve inch wall by flat pieces of iron laid in the mortar in every sixth course of brick. The contractors have six pressed brick layers here from Minneapolis, and the work will now be pushed rapidly. The outer walls of the Court House below grade are all laid in cement. (The People’s Press, Owatonna, Friday, July 24, 1891, Page 8)
The work on the Steele county Court House has been some delayed by having to wait for cut Kasota stone. The floor of the front portal consists of two large dressed Kasota stone, size of each 13 feet 6 inches by 8 feet, and ten inches thick. One was set in place last Friday and the other arrived on the car last Monday morning and was set in place last Tuesday. (The People’s Press, Owatonna, Friday, July 31, 1891, Page 8)
The red granite polished columns for the entrances to the new Steele County Court House have been delayed, but are expected here every day. (The People’s Press, Owatonna, Friday, August 14, 1891, Page 1)
Last Monday a car load of red sandstone for trimmings arrived in Owatonna. (The People’s Press, Owatonna, Friday, August 14, 1891, Page 8)
The ornamental corbeling on the east and west sides of the Steele county Court House, has been laid and will greatly improve the appearance of the building. The stock of pressed brick for the Steele county Court House is about exhausted. It is feared they may have to wait a week before they can get more pressed brick of the same color. The arches of the rear entrance to the Steele county Court House have been finished. The stone have arrived for the front arches, and all that is now needed to complete them is polished granite columns which have not yet come. (The People’s Press, Owatonna, Friday, August 28, 1891, Page 8)
H. Schmidt, chairman of our County Commissioners Board, and Mr. D. F. Allen, supervising architect of the new Steele County Court House, went to Austin Wednesday on business connected with securing the material for said Court House. (The People’s Press, Owatonna, Friday, August 28, 1891, Page 5)
Four car loads of common brick for the Steele county Court House were received here Thursday. Their pressed brick will be shipped from Austin, as soon as the kiln which has been burned, has had time to cool off. Enough stone were received Wednesday to complete the front entrance, and after the polished granite columns arrive, no further delays are anticipated on account of scarcity of material. (The People’s Press, Owatonna, Friday, September 4, 1891, Page 8)
On Friday evening, October 23d, the pressed brick works at Austin, Minn., were burned down. The fire started in the oil room and it is not known how it originated. Loss $25,000, insurance $5,500. About forty men were thrown out of employment by the fire. The pressed brick for the outside shell of the new Steele county Court House were bought of this company. (The People’s Press, Owatonna, Friday, November 6, 1891, Page 8)
The work on the interior of the new Steele County Court House is progressing rapidly. The birch wood floors are being laid, the counters are set in place, and within a couple of weeks some of the rooms will be ready for occupancy. (The People’s Press, Owatonna, Friday, January 22, 1892, Page 8)
The new City clock is being put in place in the tower of the Steele County Court House this week. Those who have heard it strike are more than pleased with the sound of its bell. (The People’s Press, Owatonna, Friday, February 5, 1892, Page 8)
The dials of the mammoth clock in the tower of the Steele county Court House was illuminated with electricity for the first time Wednesday evening. The time could be plainly seen and the effect was very pretty. (The People’s Press, Owatonna, Friday, April 15, 1892, Page 8)
The District Court for Steele County convened at the new Court House June 7th, Judge Thomas S. Buckham presiding. (The People’s Press, Owatonna, Friday, June 24, 1892, Page 4)