County Courthouses

When someone thinks of a courthouse, chances are they think of trials or traffic tickets or jury duty — and rightly so. In 2017, over 161,000 civil and criminal cases were filed in Washington State superior courts throughout the state. However, the West Virginia Department of Arts, Culture and History once wrote that “in many ways our lives can be traced through the documents and activities at the courthouse.” This is a very apropos statement, as courthouses are the keepers of significant records. They are where a couple can go to get married and where they can go if they need to split apart. They are where children are formally adopted into families and where neighbors can settle disputes. They are indeed where parts of the maps of lives are drawn and stored.

Courthouses have existed in Washington since long before statehood. In fact, the roots of Washington State legal history can be found in the system of conflict and dispute resolution developed and practiced by tribal nations. After settlers arrived, court proceedings took place in log cabins and residences. The first probate proceeding in Clark County was held at the home of one of its pioneers in 1853. Lewis County had six buildings operating as courthouses before 1889, including the 1850 Jackson Prairie location. The title for “oldest working courthouse” in Washington State belongs to Columbia County, who broke ground on a designated building after receiving funds from the Territorial Legislature in 1886.

Some of Washington’s county courthouses have been lost or rebuilt, but it’s possible to get a glimpse of what each one once looked like, thanks to a Maryland pastor who has been collecting postcards of county courthouses for over 20 years. He now holds a collection of over 14,000 postcards with photos from across the US.

Today, there are courthouses in all 39 Washington counties. 20 of these have the distinction of being included on the National Register of Historic Places: Benton, Clallam, Clark, Columbia, Douglas, Franklin, Garfield, Grant, Jefferson, Klickitat, Lewis, Mason, Okanogan, Pacific, Pend Oreille, San Juan, Snohomish, Spokane, Thurston, and Whatcom. More information about all of these, including locations and rules, can be found on the Washington Courts Directory under Trial Courts. (LE)