Washington County Courthouse (Oregon) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Washington County Courthouse |
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East façade, the public entrance
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| General information | |
| Type | Courthouse |
| Architectural style | Neo-classical |
| Location | Hillsboro, Oregon |
| Coordinates | 45°31′24″N 122°59′20″W / 45.52333°N 122.98889°W |
| Construction started | 1928 |
| Completed | 1930 |
| Owner | Washington County |
| Technical details | |
| Floor count | 3 |
| Design and construction | |
| Architect | O.R.W. Hossack |
| Main contractor | L. L. Young |
The Washington County Courthouse is an important building in Hillsboro, Oregon. It's where the local government for Washington County, Oregon does its work. Washington County started in 1843. The first government building was ready in 1852. The courthouse you see today was built in 1928. It also had new parts added and was updated in 1972. Right now, the building has courtrooms, offices for staff, and the office for the county's main lawyer, called the district attorney. The county jail used to be connected to the courthouse.
Contents
History of the Courthouse
Washington County began as "Twality District" on July 5, 1843. This happened during meetings that created the first government in Oregon. The area became Washington County in 1849. In 1850, the town now known as Hillsboro was chosen as the county seat. This meant it would be the main place for county government.
Early Buildings (1850s)
The very first place where court was held was a log cabin. It was on land owned by Edward Constable. In 1850, David Hill sold some land and a cabin to the county for $200. This cabin was used for court until 1852. That year, a new two-story building was finished. It became the main courthouse and government center in Hillsboro.
This building was made of cedar wood. It was on land given by the Kelsey family. It stood on the same block as the current courthouse. The building was designed by A. B. Hallock and built by William Green. Construction started in mid-1852. The county accepted the building on December 8, 1852. It cost $3,300 to build.
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Brick Courthouse and Updates (1870s-1910s)
In 1871, the county decided to build a new brick courthouse. Samuel W. Elliot won the bid to build it for $12,500. Construction finished in May 1873. The new building was placed in the middle of the courthouse square. A fence and an outhouse were added in 1882. The old two-story courthouse was sold the next year.
The brick courthouse was updated in the early 1890s. It was made bigger, and a clock tower was added. The clock tower was built in 1891 for $20,000. Delos Neer was the architect. Part of the cost also paid for steam heating in the building. Even though it had a clock tower, there was no actual clock inside. The county did not buy the parts needed for a working clock. In 1897, the first telephone was put in the building. In 1912, the county hired William Foster to make the building even bigger. This cost $32,516.
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The Current Courthouse (1920s-Present)
In 1927, the county started planning to expand the courthouse again. Construction began in 1928. L. L. Young won the bid for $126,783. The old building was torn down on April 1, 1928. Many people came to watch. With this new building, the style changed to Neoclassical. This style looks like old Greek and Roman buildings. The main entrance was moved to face 2nd Street instead of Main Street. O.R.W. Hossack designed the building. He included tall, grooved columns with fancy tops called Ionic capitals. In 1930, a two-story jail was also finished on the site.
The county looked to expand its government buildings again in 1969. Construction started in 1970. The Administrative Annex building was finished in 1973.
What the Courthouse is Like Today
The Washington County Courthouse takes up one city block in downtown Hillsboro. East Main Street is on the south side, Lincoln Street on the north, First Street on the west, and Second Street on the east. This area has five large sequoia trees. They were planted in 1886 using seeds from John Porter. These trees are on the south side of the building.
The main entrance has three stories and four columns. It faces Second Street. A new county jail was built west of downtown in the early 2000s. This allowed the old jail area to be used by the county sheriff. It is now a dispatch center and a place to hold people temporarily. The current Justice Services Building has offices for court staff, judges, and accounting. It also has courtrooms and the office for the county's district attorney. The Hillsboro Civic Center is right across Main Street from the courthouse.
