The Foster County Courthouse is one of the thirteen Buechner and Orth courthouses in North Dakota named to the National Register of Historic Places by the secretary of the Interior in 1980. The building, both inside and out, has remained virtually unchanged during its 70 years of service to the citizens of the county. Its stark outlines are now obscured and softened by trees which reach as high as the pediment over the front entrance. It no longer gives the impression of standing isolated on the flat prairies; residences have been built as close as across the street on two sides. The exterior brick and stonework show only a minimum of weathering and wear, and there are no obvious cracks or uneven settling of the structure. The copper sheathing of the dome, now covered with aluminum paint, still shines from the distance on sunny days.
In the interior of the rotunda the four paintings still illustrate the early history of the county, but light from the windows in the dome no longer filters through the stained glass skylight. The dome has been floored to conserve heat in these energy conscious days.
The four corner offices on the first floor remain as originally shown in the architect's plans, but the sheriff now occupies the space designated for the county judge. The second floor courtroom furniture - judge's bench, jury box, and spectators' seats, remain exactly as they were when the first term of court was held in the spring of 1911. The frieze decorating the walls is visible, but somewhat dim.
There have been changes in the functions of the offices on the second and basement floors, but none have involved any structural alteration. The dark wood framing of the doors and windows, the marble wainscoting, and the terrazzo floors are still in excellent condition. Original lighting fixtures in the offices have been replaced by more efficient fluorescent lights, except in the courtroom where the brass chandeliers still supply illumination.
Most significantly, none of the offices have become overcrowded by the voluminous county records and no difficulty has been encountered in finding space for county functions not envisioned when the building was planned. The Social Service offices, the County Extension Office, and the Office of Tax Equalization have been accommodated without disrupting the others. The Farmers' Room on the ground floor has been reduced to one-third of its original area by offices and a corridor to the west entrance. The room finds occasional use as a hearing room and by the state's Motor Vehicle Department for driver's license functions. A few private organizations hold regularly scheduled meetings there in the evenings.
The building, however, has never become a focal point where people meet spontaneously- one visits the courthouse only when one has business to transact.
Source: A History of Foster County 1983 Page 148