Garfield County Courthouse (Washington) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Garfield County Courthouse
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Photo by Calvin Beale
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 Garfield County Courthouse
Location in Washington (state)
Garfield County Courthouse
Location in the United States
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| Location | 8th and Main Sts., Pomeroy, Washington |
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| Area | Less than one acre |
| Built | 1901 |
| Built by | Isle, August |
| Architect | Burggraf, Charles |
| Architectural style | Late Victorian |
| NRHP reference No. | 74001951 |
| Added to NRHP | July 24, 1974 |
The Garfield County Courthouse is a historic building in Pomeroy, Washington. You can find it at 8th and Main streets. It was built in 1901. This courthouse shows off a style called Late Victorian architecture. It was designed by Charles Burggraf and built by August Isle. In 1974, it was added to the National Register of Historic Places. This means it's an important building worth protecting.
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History of the Garfield County Courthouse
The Garfield County Courthouse was built in 1901. This happened after a big fire in 1900. That fire destroyed many buildings in Pomeroy's downtown area. The old courthouse, built in 1887, was made of wood and was also lost in the fire.
Building the New Courthouse
The people of Garfield County decided they needed a new courthouse. They agreed to borrow $20,000 to build it. Charles Burggraf, an architect from Albany, Oregon, was chosen to design the new building.
In March 1901, different builders offered their prices for the job. August Isle from Spokane won the contract. His bid was $18,783. The plans said the courthouse should be built with brick and stone. The stone came from a nearby area called Valentine Ridge. The bricks were made locally, and the roof shingles came from the Blue Mountains.
Special Statues at the Courthouse
The courthouse has a tall clock tower. On top of this tower is a statue of Justice. This statue is special because it is one of only about twenty in the whole country where Justice is not blindfolded. This means she can see!
In 1904, a clock was put into the tower. Also in 1904, a statue honoring Civil War soldiers was placed in front of the courthouse. This happened during the Fourth of July celebration. Over time, this statue wore out and was taken down in the 1950s.
In 2000, a new bronze Civil War statue was put in its place. It sits on the original marble base. This base has the names of the county's veterans carved into it. This new statue was paid for by local groups.
Repairs to the Justice Statue
In 2006, a strong windstorm damaged the Justice statue. It lost its left arm! An emergency grant helped pay for the repairs. This grant came from the Valerie Sivinski Washington Preserves Fund.
Restoring the Historic Building
From 2009 to 2011, the courthouse went through a big restoration project. It cost two million dollars. Half of the money came from a special grant. This project made the building stronger and fixed many important parts.
The work included repairing the old windows. They also added features to make the building easier for everyone to use, following ADA rules. Some newer changes that didn't fit the building's history were removed. For example, false ceilings in the courtroom were taken out. A gallery area in the courtroom, which had been used for storage, was opened up again.
In 2012, this restoration project won an award. It was one of two winners of the Valerie Sivinski Award for Outstanding Achievement in Historic Preservation.
