Construction of this imposing brick court house was begun in the spring of 1880. Designed by C.J. Soule, a Guelph architect, it was built by the contracting firm of Dobbie and Grierson. Although the first provisional county council meeting was held here on November 24, 1880, the two-storey rectangular building constructed to house the judicial and administrative offices of the newly created county of Dufferin was not completed until early 1881. Its impressive exterior is distinguished by a prominent central tower, projecting gable ends , irregular roof treatment and decorative white brick. Except for the addition of a new wing in 1973, the building remains largely unaltered, and still serves as the centre for the administration of justice in the county.