Built in 1793 as the home of Commander John Philips, the town's founder, the building has served as a fire station, jail and post office over its long history and is one of St. Maarten's most prominent landmarks. It's hard to get lost in Philipsburg -- there are only two main downtown streets between Great Bay and the Salt Pond -- but the Courthouse is a good place to start and end your walking tour of the town. If you're driving into town, there's a municipal parking lot a block away.


