201 W. Main St

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Overview

10

Owner

County Courthouse Annex

Address

201 W. Main St Decorah, IA 52101

Year Built

1969

Architectural Style

International Style Commercial

Tour Type

Other Altfillisch Properties

NRHP 1976

This building to the rear of the Courthouse Square was built in 1969 as the Winneshiek County Sheriff’s office, which in July 1994 moved to share space at the Decorah Municipal Center with the Decorah Police Department. After 1994 the Courthouse Annex space was rented by various agencies, including the Iowa Department of Human Services. In 2017 the space was refurbished in order to provide greater security for county meetings outside of regular Courthouse hours.

At first glance, the Altfillisch firm design for this utilitarian structure seems prosaic, perhaps even pedestrian. Some County workers have complained about their view of the flat-roofed annex from their offices in the main Courthouse. But the dark-brick foundation and light-brick upper story does echo the coloring of the Courthouse, and the annex comfortably incorporates the 1910 boiler chimney. Most importantly, the building completely defers in its design and effect to the much more important 1904 Courthouse. Winneshiek County retains the original blueprints, which list Charles Altfillisch as architect, but given the late date, it is likely that someone else from the firm did the actual design.

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