The windows at the Cottonwood County Courthouse are in need of replacement. However, doing so without simulating the original windows could jeopardize the building’s place on the National Register of Historic Places.
At Tuesday’s meeting, Cottonwood County Commissioners heard a proposal from Dr. Jared Schmidt about the process of applying for grants to replace the windows.
“Because of the requirements for the National Register, we need to maintain period relevance, integrity and historic continuity,” Schmidt said. “However, we also want to try to balance that with modern energy efficiency.”
Schmidt said he hoped to apply for a $10,000 grant to the Minnesota Historical Society, which would allow the county to hire a historical architect to develop a plan to replace the windows that would maintain period relevance and also be energy efficient.
Schmidt said the proposed grant application has one major thing working in its favor.
“We have the original blueprints for the courthouse, so that’s a big plus,” Schmidt said.
The board authorized Schmidt to proceed with the application.
