The Courthouse Square Historic District encompasses much of Crown Point's business district. The district's collection of late nineteenth century commercial and public buildings represents a period of economic and political growth as Crown Point developed into a thriving county seat.
The focal point of the district is the distinctive Lake County Courthouse. Another significant public building is the Lake County Sheriff's House and Jail. Built in 1882 in the Second Empire style, the house and jail were the county's first permanent buildings for this purpose. By 1910 the facility was inadequate and the first of a series of additions was built.
The jail was closed in 1974 when a new facility was completed. The Sheriff's House and Jail were placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1989.