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Washington County Courthouse (Oregon)
Encyclopedia
The Washington County Courthouse in Hillsboro, Oregon
is the courthouse
for Washington County, Oregon
, in the United States
. Washington County was established in 1843 and the first government building was finished in 1852. The current courthouse was built in 1928 with an addition and renovations to the structure in 1972. Currently the building houses courtroom
s, the county sheriff’s dispatch, staff offices, and the office of the district attorney
. The county jail was previously attached to the courthouse.
that created the Provisional Government of Oregon
. The county became Washington County by an act of the Territorial Legislature
in 1849, and in 1850 the community that would become Hillsboro was selected as the county seat.
The first courthouse in the county was a log cabin near what is now Northwest 253rd, located on the land claim of Edward Constable where court sessions were held briefly. In 1850, David Hill
sold 40 acres (161,874.4 m²) and a cabin from his land claim to the county for $200. This cabin was used to house the court until 1852 when a two-story building was finished to serve as the courthouse and center of county government in Hillsboro.
Built of cedar, this building was on land donated by the Kelsey family and located on the same block as the current site of the county courthouse on the northwest corner of Main and 1st streets in downtown Hillsboro. Designed by A. B. Hallock, the building was 32 feet (9.8 m) by 40 feet (12.2 m) and built by William Green. Construction began in the middle of 1852 and the county accepted the building on December 8, 1852, at a cost of $3,300.
In 1871, the county solicited bids to construct a new, brick courthouse. The winning bid was for $12,500 by Samuel W. Elliot with construction finishing in May 1873. The new building was placed in the middle of the courthouse square, with a picket fence and outhouse added in 1882. The following year the previous two-story courthouse was sold. The brick courthouse was remodeled in the early 1890s when it was expanded and a clock tower added to the building. The clock tower was built in 1891 for a cost of $20,000 and Delos Neer as architect. Part of the cost came from adding steam heating to the courthouse. Though the courthouse had a clock tower, there was no clock and the county did not purchase the clockworks needed for a working clock. In 1897, the first telephone was added to the building. In 1912, the county contracted with William Foster to expand the building at a cost of $4,192.
Beginning in 1927, the county began plans to expand the courthouse. Construction began in 1928 with L. L. Young submitting the winning bid of $126,783. The old building was demolished on April 1, 1928, in front of a crowd of citizens. With the remodel, the current neo-classical architectural style was adopted and the main entrance was made to face 2nd Street instead of Main Street. O.R.W. Hossack designed the building and included fluted columns with Ionic capitals. In 1930, a two story jail was completed on the site. The county looked to expand the county government buildings again in 1969, with construction beginning in 1970. The Administrative Annex building was finished in 1973.
is across main street from the courthouse.
Hillsboro, Oregon
Hillsboro is the fifth-largest city in the U.S. state of Oregon and is the county seat of Washington County. Lying in the Tualatin Valley on the west side of the Portland metropolitan area, the city is home to many high-technology companies, such as Intel, that compose what has become known as the...
is the courthouse
Courthouse
A courthouse is a building that is home to a local court of law and often the regional county government as well, although this is not the case in some larger cities. The term is common in North America. In most other English speaking countries, buildings which house courts of law are simply...
for Washington County, Oregon
Washington County, Oregon
- Major highways :* Interstate 5* Interstate 205* U.S. Route 26* Oregon Route 6* Oregon Route 8* Oregon Route 10* Oregon Route 47* Oregon Route 99W* Oregon Route 210* Oregon Route 217* Oregon Route 219-Demographics:...
, in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. Washington County was established in 1843 and the first government building was finished in 1852. The current courthouse was built in 1928 with an addition and renovations to the structure in 1972. Currently the building houses courtroom
Courtroom
A courtroom is the actual enclosed space in which a judge regularly holds court.The schedule of official court proceedings is called a docket; the term is also synonymous with a court's caseload as a whole.-Courtroom design:-United States:...
s, the county sheriff’s dispatch, staff offices, and the office of the district attorney
District attorney
In many jurisdictions in the United States, a District Attorney is an elected or appointed government official who represents the government in the prosecution of criminal offenses. The district attorney is the highest officeholder in the jurisdiction's legal department and supervises a staff of...
. The county jail was previously attached to the courthouse.
History
Washington County was created as Twality District on July 5, 1843, as part of the Champoeg MeetingsChampoeg Meetings
The Champoeg Meetings in Oregon Country were the first attempts at governing in the Pacific Northwest by United States European-American pioneers. Prior to this, the closest entity to a government was the Hudson's Bay Company, mainly through Dr...
that created the Provisional Government of Oregon
Provisional Government of Oregon
The Provisional Government of Oregon was a popularly elected government created in the Oregon Country, in the Pacific Northwest region of North America. It existed from May 2, 1843 until March 3, 1849. Created at a time when no country had sovereignty over the region, this independent government...
. The county became Washington County by an act of the Territorial Legislature
Oregon Territorial Legislature
Oregon’s Territorial Legislature was a bicameral legislative body created by the United States Congress in 1848 as the legislative branch of the government of the Oregon Territory...
in 1849, and in 1850 the community that would become Hillsboro was selected as the county seat.
The first courthouse in the county was a log cabin near what is now Northwest 253rd, located on the land claim of Edward Constable where court sessions were held briefly. In 1850, David Hill
David Hill (Oregon politician)
David Hill , was an American pioneer and settler of what became Hillsboro, Oregon, United States. He served in the Provisional Government of Oregon in both the executive and legislative branches, and later as a legislator in the first Oregon Territorial Legislature...
sold 40 acres (161,874.4 m²) and a cabin from his land claim to the county for $200. This cabin was used to house the court until 1852 when a two-story building was finished to serve as the courthouse and center of county government in Hillsboro.
Built of cedar, this building was on land donated by the Kelsey family and located on the same block as the current site of the county courthouse on the northwest corner of Main and 1st streets in downtown Hillsboro. Designed by A. B. Hallock, the building was 32 feet (9.8 m) by 40 feet (12.2 m) and built by William Green. Construction began in the middle of 1852 and the county accepted the building on December 8, 1852, at a cost of $3,300.
In 1871, the county solicited bids to construct a new, brick courthouse. The winning bid was for $12,500 by Samuel W. Elliot with construction finishing in May 1873. The new building was placed in the middle of the courthouse square, with a picket fence and outhouse added in 1882. The following year the previous two-story courthouse was sold. The brick courthouse was remodeled in the early 1890s when it was expanded and a clock tower added to the building. The clock tower was built in 1891 for a cost of $20,000 and Delos Neer as architect. Part of the cost came from adding steam heating to the courthouse. Though the courthouse had a clock tower, there was no clock and the county did not purchase the clockworks needed for a working clock. In 1897, the first telephone was added to the building. In 1912, the county contracted with William Foster to expand the building at a cost of $4,192.
Beginning in 1927, the county began plans to expand the courthouse. Construction began in 1928 with L. L. Young submitting the winning bid of $126,783. The old building was demolished on April 1, 1928, in front of a crowd of citizens. With the remodel, the current neo-classical architectural style was adopted and the main entrance was made to face 2nd Street instead of Main Street. O.R.W. Hossack designed the building and included fluted columns with Ionic capitals. In 1930, a two story jail was completed on the site. The county looked to expand the county government buildings again in 1969, with construction beginning in 1970. The Administrative Annex building was finished in 1973.
Currently
The Washington County Courthouse is located on one city block in downtown Hillsboro with East Main Street as the southern boundary, Lincoln Street on the north, First Street on the west, and Second Street bounding on the east. This square has five large sequoia trees that were planted in 1886 with seeds from John Porter. The three-story neo-classical style entrance with four columns faces Second Street. A new county jail built in the early 2000s west of downtown, allowed the use of the old jail by the county sheriff as a dispatch center and prisoner holding area. The current Justice Services Building is home to offices for courtroom staff, judges, accounting offices, courtrooms, and the district attorney for the county. The Hillsboro Civic CenterHillsboro Civic Center
The Hillsboro Civic Center is a government-built, mixed-use development in downtown Hillsboro, Oregon, United States. The development includes the city hall for the county seat of Washington County, located west of Portland, Oregon. Covering , the Civic Center has a total of over in the complex...
is across main street from the courthouse.