Courthouses of Minnesota

by Doug Ohman (Photographer), Mary Logue (Contributor)

They stand at once as silent reminders of time past as well as the hub of our daily lives. They are the focus of activity in every county—the site of political speeches, holiday parades, and community picnics. They are the courthouses of Minnesota’s eighty-seven counties. Writes author Mary Logue, “With a clock tower, the courthouse becomes metaphor, literally the ticking heart at the center of a county.”   In this beautiful book are photographs celebrating the variety of Minnesota’s county courthouses. From the classic Beaux Arts dome atop the Stearns County courthouse to the unadorned simplicity of the Sibley County courthouse, this book offers a parade of some of the finest public buildings in the North Star State.   Paired with Doug Ohman’s warm photographs in this newest book from the Minnesota Byways series is an essay by mystery writer Mary Logue that reveals the secrets of these buildings we thought we knew. Together they tell the story of these distinctly American structures, symbols of the ways Minnesotans live under the law—with justice, equality, and fairness. As the inscription above the Wilkin County Courthouse declares: 

To none will we delay,
To none will we deny,
right or justice.

128 pages, Hardcover

First published May 1, 2006

Reviews

[Molly · Rating 3 out of 5]

The third in photographer Doug Ohman's Minnesota Byways series capturing historic buildings of Minnesota is a collection of photos of courthouses in Minnesota accompanied by history and stories about courthouses and the justice system in Minnesota from Minnesota mystery writer Mary Logue.

This is a nice collection of photos that helps tell the story of justice in Minnesota. There is a good mix of photographs from both the inside and outside of courthouses from counties all over the state. The accompanying stories from Mary Logue give insight into the architectural motifs of courthouses, such as clock towers and statues of Lady Justice. She also shares stories about Minnesota's legal past from record keeping to famous trials that are very intriguing. These include her personal story of the trial following her sister's murder. Overall, a very interesting collection.