The Courthouse Cafe
The William’s County
Courthouse Cafe’s
delicious dessert
displayed by, left to
right, Megan Vigness,
prep cook; Kay Erickson,
prep cook; Cindy
Gergen, co-owner,
Marlys Ableman, prep
cook; Deana Johnson,
front counter; Ginny
Gergen, manager/baker.
By Tom Dickson
“People go to the jail just to eat here.”
So joked Ellen Harris, a retired grade school teacher who often takes
her lunch at the Courthouse Cafe. Tucked into a corner of the new
addition of the Williams County Courthouse is a quaintly reminder
of a time when people ate lunch together, a time when people
talked to each other, and a time when lawyers regularly broke bread
together. Yes Virginia, there was a time when lawyers actually did all
those things. And at the Williams County Courthouse in Williston,
N.D., they still do.
The Bakken oil boom brought many changes to
Williston. Not the least of which was the new jail;
more people, more crime, and more incarcerations.
Physical space was in short supply and a new jail
was needed. The old courthouse had a nice little
cafe tucked in the corner of the basement. But
that room was needed for another courtroom and
besides, courthouse cafes went out with silent
movies and Studebakers. However, several county
commissioners saw otherwise. They insisted the
new addition would have a courthouse cafe.
Dan Kalil, a Williams County Commissioner
from 1992-2016, recognized the value and social
purpose of the cafe. Many a tense meeting and
negotiation were settled after a strategic coffee
break. “We often called for a tactical recess when
things got a little heated. Coffee breaks can
14
THE GAVEL
be more than just a cup of coffee. It was amazing how many issues
got resolved after a few minutes in that old cafe. In North Dakota,
everything happens in the cafe. Lots of problems get solved after a
good meal,” he said.
So, the decision was made to save the courthouse cafe and move
it into the new addition. It was a great move. Thank you Williams
County Commissioners.
The Courthouse Cafe opens at 7 a.m. and serves the general public
until 3 p.m. They often serve more
than 100 people a day. They also cook
and serve meals for 125 inmates. The
food is so good, many inmates write
personal thank you notes. Handwritten
thank you notes.
The lunch menu is excellent with a
wide variety of offerings including
my personal favorite, the egg salad
sandwich and home-made tomato soup.
But it’s the dessert menu that really
catches your eye.
The Courthouse Cafe dessert menu.
Don’t even ask about Ginny’s caked
donuts. She only makes them a couple
times a month and never puts them
on the menu. Demand always exceeds
supply.