CALLING ON THE COMMUNITY. The Colfax Municipal Building has been on the National Register of Historic Places since 2004. It has been an important facet of Dunn County for much longer. (Photo by Jeff the quiet / CC0_1.0)

The Colfax Municipal Building is a pillar of Dunn County – especially so for the Village of Colfax. It is home to the Colfax Public Library, the Village Administration offices, the police department, and holds voting for elections. Over time, wear and tear has left it in need of significant improvements.

The building dates back to 1915 when it was built of locally quarried sandstone, earning it landmark status through both the National Register of Historic Places and Wisconsin Register of Historic Places. Perhaps more importantly, it has always been a space that brings the community together.

The building has a storied history – including its use as an infirmary after a tornado (also known as the Colfax Tornado) killed and injured many in Colfax in 1958 – and has been used for a wide range of events, including concerts, dances, church services, blood drives, and roller skating, as noted online.

The space has experienced a recent resurgence – from 2023 to 2024, the Colfax Public Library saw a 47% increase in program participation – now actively used for cultural programming such as movie nights, story-telling hours, children's theatre, and more.

the library has raised a great sum of roughly $170,000. however, there's still a long way to go: the fundraising goal for all renovations and improvements is $700,000.

"People looking for help with resources and those new to town often come to the building as a starting point," said Colfax Public Library Director, Lisa Bragg-Hurlburt. "Library and village staff help people find what they need and/or integrate into the community. So we're also a pillar of Dunn County in the sense that we keep information about resources here and often refer rural folks to various Dunn County services."

To keep up with modern demands, the building requires renovations, as described by Bragg-Hurlburt. The plan is for those improvements to be made in two phases: The first aims to add an elevator (equipment costs alone are estimated at $187,500) and public restrooms to the basement and second floor. The second phase would focus on bringing the basement up to code so it can offer public community rooms for meetings, classes, and other programs.

Since the fundraising effort began in 2018, the library has raised a great sum of roughly $170,000. However, there's still a long way to go: the fundraising goal for all renovations and improvements is $700,000. 

In an effort to make the library more accessible, the library received a total $20,000 in grant funding from the American Library Association through two grants, awarded in March 2024 and March 2025 respectively. The funding has gone toward installation of an automatic door and improvement of the building's wheelchair ramp.

AN ANONYMOUS COLFAX ALUMNUS HAS OFFERED TO MATCH NEW DONATIONS FOR THE PROJECT UP TO $40,000.

Municipal Building renovation floor plans featuring ADA elevator addition. (See more floor plan images online) 

This spring, fundraising efforts received a generous boost: an anonymous Colfax alumnus offered to match new donations for the elevator project up to $40,000. This gift presents a new opportunity for the town — and the broader community – to support the project and double the impact of their donations.

Since quietly announcing the donation match in February, over $8,000 in donations have come in for the elevator project. "So with matching funds, we've raised over $16,000 for the elevator in 2025 alone. There's been so much enthusiasm and loving support for this project," Bragg-Hurlburt said. 

Funds donated specifically to the elevator project, and those donated to the building's overall improvement and renovations, will ensure Colfax Municipal Building continues to serve as a community hub for Colfax and Dunn County residents for many more years.

Donations can be made online through the library's giving portal. Checks are also accepted and can be made out to the Village of Colfax and sent to the following address: Colfax Public Library, PO Box 525, Colfax, WI 54730. The check should include “Elevator Fund” written in the memo line.

More information on the Colfax municipal building and library can be found online at colfaxpubliclibrary.org. Get more involved and keep up with the effort by following the Facebook page, Colfax Municipal Building Restoration Group.