King County Courthouse facts for kids
The King County Courthouse is an important building in King County, Washington. It's where many important government jobs happen, especially those related to laws and justice. You can find it in downtown Seattle, a busy part of the city, just north of Pioneer Square.
This building, first built in 1916, is home to several key parts of the county government. It has offices for the King County Prosecuting Attorney, who handles legal cases for the county, and the King County Sheriff's Office (KCSO), which helps keep people safe. The King County Council, which makes decisions for the county, also meets here. You'll also find the King County Law Library and courtrooms for the King County Superior Court and the Seattle District Court, where judges hear cases. The courthouse is located at 516 Third Avenue, near City Hall Park.
There's a special enclosed walkway, called a skybridge, that connects the courthouse to the King County Jail. This skybridge is used to safely move people between the courthouse and the jail. There's also an underground tunnel that links the courthouse to the King County Administration Building.
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History of the Courthouse Building
Building a New Home for Justice
Back in 1911, people in King County voted on whether to build a new building for their county government. After some discussion, they decided it was a good idea! The spot they chose for the new building used to belong to Henry Yesler, one of Seattle's founders.
A Seattle architect named A. Warren Gould first suggested a very tall building with twenty-three floors. He thought the county would grow a lot and need all that space. However, the county leaders decided to start with something a bit smaller. So, the building was constructed in different stages.
Work began in 1914. They built a strong structure with five floors using steel and concrete. This part of the building was officially opened on May 4, 1916. At that time, it was called the City-County Building because both city and county offices were there.
Adding More Floors and a New Name
Later, in 1930, more floors were added to the building. Architects Henry Bittman and John L. McCauley designed six more floors, and then even a three-story "attic" section was built on top.
In 1962, the city government moved its offices out of the building. Because of this, the building was renamed the King County Courthouse in August of that year. A few years later, in 1967, the building got some modern updates, including air conditioning.
Protecting a Landmark and Making it Safe
The King County Courthouse is a very important building. In 1987, it was officially recognized as a King County landmark. This means that if any parts of the public areas are remodeled in the future, they should try to make them look like the original design.
After a big earthquake in 2001, called the 2001 Nisqually earthquake, the courthouse needed some repairs to make it stronger against future quakes. This process is called a seismic retrofit. The earthquake caused a lot of damage to older buildings nearby, which made the county realize how important it was to make the courthouse safer. After the work was finished, people noticed the beautiful murals and the special marble floor on the first level.
Keeping Everyone Secure
The area around the courthouse is close to places that help people who don't have homes. To make sure everyone who works at or visits the courthouse feels safe, new security steps were put in place. In December 2019, the King County Superior Court announced that the entrance on 3rd Avenue would be mostly closed. This was done to improve safety for jurors and courthouse staff, with special arrangements for those who need them.
