This two-story brick commercial building in downtown Cimarron, originally the Merchants Hotel, served as county courthouse during a heated county seat dispute. When Gray County was established in 1887, Cimarron was designated the temporary county seat. Nearby Ingalls also sought permanent county seat status and in an election on October 31, 1887, both towns claimed victory. Accusations of buying votes and ballot box stuffing were slung back and forth. The Kansas Supreme Court eventually declared Cimarron the winner. This building served as Gray County's courthouse starting in 1893, and was in use until 1927, when a new courthouse was constructed. That item can be viewed at item number 217399. The first courthouse for Gray County can be viewed at item number 449890. That building was the scene of the incident where a group of men from Ingalls raided the courthouse and stole the county records leaving three men dead in the gunfight.