By Shane Frederick
MANKATO — Oliver Mulford says he and his wife, Pat, drive by the Blue Earth County Courthouse almost every day but have had virtually no reason to go inside.
While that might sound like a good thing, it was sometimes hard not to wonder what might be going on in the guts of the nearly 120-year-old stone structure.
On Tuesday, the Mulfords got the chance, taking part in some of the first guided tours ever given of the courthouse.
The verdict: They liked what they saw.
“It’s really a beautiful building with beautiful architecture,” Oliver Mulford said. “The woodwork is fantastic.”
The tours were given as part of a celebration touting the Courthouse’s Energy Star Award, which distinguishes it among the most energy-efficient buildings in the nation. The top 25 percent are given the award by Energy Star, a joint program of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Department of Energy.
It’s the only Minnesota courthouse and among just eight county courthouses nationally on the list.
“Because it’s so historic, this was an opportunity to open it to the public,” county public information specialist Jessica Beyer said. “We’re very proud of our courthouse.”
While many modern strides have been made over the last decade to make the building consume less energy, tourists were mostly interested in the historical stuff.
That included the building’s only remaining courtroom fireplace and one second-floor room that still has the original 24-foot ceilings.
In 1957, the ceilings were lowered to add a third floor to the courthouse.
“There’s a lot I haven’t seen,” said Win Grundmeier, one of the Blue Earth County Historical Society volunteers charged with giving tours. “It’s a beautiful building, really. And historical buildings — if they’re good — really have something to say.
“Mankato’s blessed with a number of fascinating little buildings. I’m glad they’re keeping some of these.”
The courthouse was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1980.
Visitors had the opportunity to walk through vacant courtrooms, the county commissioners’ meeting room and the law library, as well as get a third-floor view of downtown Mankato and the river valley.
Photographs from 1910 were on display, as were some of the original designs, including drawings and an 1884 wood model that didn’t quite measure up to the final construction.
“That’s just a dream,” Grundmeier said. “I think maybe we got a better one than that.”
Tuesday’s celebration also included a concert on the courthouse lawn by the Mankato Area Municipal Band, food and other activities.
