(Spirit Lake)– Another chapter of Dickinson county history was written this (Thurs.) afternoon as ground was broken for the new courthouse.
Keynote speaker Judge Rosemary Sackett described it as a time to look on the past as well as the future, saying “if you have tears to shed for the demise of the old courthouse, shed them now then wipe your eyes for the future awaits. Yet as the tired bricks fall we must not forget the history that they have witnessed or the lessons that those who have came before have taught us.”
Judge Sackett told the crowd the new courthouse will represent a spirit of county unity on which we should continually build.
Judge Sackett added the new courthouse represents an opportunity for cities in the county to work together, saying Spirit Lake “will have a beautiful building on Hill Avenue that will enhance its downtown and see the continuation of county government and the state court system operating there. This is only happening because the other towns and areas of the county have, with Spirit Lake, supported this project. I hope Spirit Lake will see this support as an incentive to return the hand of cooperation when it is asked for.”
Judge Sackett also thanked the county’s taxpayers for their support of the project.
Berkley Bedell, another keynote speaker, reflected on what it must have been like when Dickinson county was founded in 1857 and the very first courthouse was built on the same site as the existing one.
Bedell added that like in the early 1860’s, when the very first courthouse was built, a lot of foresight is being put into Dickinson county’s future with this project.
With the sounding of the guns by the color guard, supervisors David Gottsche, Wayne Northey, Pam Jordan, Marti Allen and Paul Johnson turned over the first spades of dirt on the project.
