Washington County Historic Courthouse

  1. Historic Courthouse New Schedule

    Beginning May 1, 2019, the Historic Courthouse will be open daily. Public hours will be 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Wednesday; 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Thursday and Friday; and 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. Read on...

  2. Campground Closure

    The Lake Elmo Modern Campground (sites 1-80) will be closed after September 8, 2019, for an improvement project. Read on...
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Visiting the Historic Courthouse 
  1. May-October
  2. November-April
May-October Day Time Rate
Public Hours / Self-Guided Tours

Mon-Wed

Thurs-Fri
Sat-Sun
 9 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.
9 a.m. - 6 p.m.
10 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.
 Free; Donations Accepted
Guided History Tours Mon-Wed
​
​Thurs-Fri
​
​Sat-Sun
 11 a.m. 1 p.m.,
3 p.m.
11 a.m., 1 p.m.,
3 p.m., 5 p.m.
​11 a.m., 1 p.m., 3 p.m.
 Free; Donation Suggested
Private/Group Tours Please call ahead to schedule   $2 / Per Person
​Suggested Donation

To ensure the best tour experience, public tours are limited to 15 participants per tour guide. Large groups will be divided for a tour rotation. If you are visiting with a large group of 10 or more, please call 651-275-7075 to make arrangements. Unscheduled tour groups may be asked to tour the building without a guide.

The Historic Courthouse may be closed on holidays. Please call 651-275-7075 to check the tour schedule.

Additional Activities
  1. Family Activities
  2. Walking Tours
  3. Fitness Hikes & History Strolls
  4. Scout Programs
  5. Team-Building

Vintage clothing display and children’s activitiesIn addition to self-guided and guided tours, the Washington County Historic Courthouse offers fun activities for children, families, and all those who are young-at-heart.

Scavenger Hunt: Step into the shoes of a County Sheriff and hone your detective skills with the Courthouse Scavenger Hunt. Search for items throughout the building - children who find them all will win a prize!

Playing the Past: Uncover the history of Washington County and the lives of area residents using our interactive biography boxes and timeline. Using what you have learned as inspiration, create your own character! Visit the clothing display and dress up in vintage clothing according to your character's time period! Will you be a pioneer, a fine Victorian lady/gentleman, judge or deputy?

Create a Character: Learn about the courthouse characters created by volunteers throughout the years to aid in fundraising efforts, including Winfield the Cat and Gus & Sig, the courthouse mice. Create your own courthouse character and write a story or create a comic strip

Children's Corner: Stop by the children's corner to touch and feel courthouse artifacts, including old jail keys and snow catchers, and stamp a county seal using an antique stamp. 

*A St. Croix Valley History curriculum unit is also available for teachers and homeschoolers using the interactive biography boxes available at the Historic Courthouse. It is free to download and use. 

Take a 360° Virtual Tour