In 1911 and 1912, a bitter rivalry erupted between Friendship, the Adams County seat, and the Village of Adams when the Adams County Board adopted architectural plans for a new County Courthouse to be located in Friendship at the site of the original Adams Courthouse. Naturally, Friendship voters, excited for their own aesthetically pleasing landmark, approved the new plans overwhelmingly, while most Village of Adams voters did not. Nevertheless, voters narrowly approved the $30,000 bond issue. In 1914, the original two-story, wooden courthouse was replaced by a red brick Neoclassical building designed by Arthur Peabody, the Supervising Architect for University of Wisconsin. Peabody would later become Wisconsin's first State Architect.

Neoclassical architecture owes its sophistication to the influence of ancient Roman and Greek buildings. The Adams County Courthouse, though considerably simpler in plan and detail than most Neoclassical buildings, has trademark elements such as four colossal pilasters defining the central portico.

The courthouse, which is surrounded by a large lawn in the middle of the commercial district, serves as Friendship's center. Throughout its history, the courthouse lawn has hosted everything from basketball and Friday night ice cream socials to Civil War troops on their way to Camp Randall in Madison.

The courthouse is open during normal business hours.