Historic Hood River
County Courthouse, 1954
9-26-2012
Notes
The Hood River County Courthouse was opened for business on July 9th, 1954. Does anyone know how people reacted to the architecture at the time? It’s always struck me, to be charitable, as a major departure for our downtown. Note that the building as originally constructed was a bit more symmetric that what we see now. The annex which now houses the sheriff’s office was added at a later date.
charlott
I don’t recall much about this, but I remember going there with my Grandpa. My question is: up on the lawn between the two trees is that the old cannon. I have always wondered what ever became of it? Does anyone know?
l.e.
Looks like the entire town showed up.
Where was the previous courthouse located?
Steffen
Prior to this the court was located in the Butler Bank Building, 301 Oak Street, which has just under gone interior restoration.
Arlen Sheldrake
This was a dream come true for my grandfather John H. As the County Judge he wanted to see this building built before he died and his wish was realized. After some discussions, the County School office was placed in the upper right area where my father John L., as County School Clerk, spent many a long hour. After hour building access was through the police entrance where father John received reports on what his middle son (me) had been up to. We take our grand children by the dedication plaque with pride.
And yes, I would agree not a pretty building but I never heard any complaining about it.
Arthur
Charlott, we have a great picture by Arline Moore of the cannon and the first staff of Hood River County. I too wonder where it went. I thought maybe it went to a WWII scrap drive. Roughly what year did you last see it?
Bill Seaton
This is pretty much the view I had from the back deck of our apartment when this picture was taken. It was taken next door from the top of the Paris Fair.
Arthur, the people’s reaction to the architecture was to accept it with pride as a symbol of the community’s growing importance. For me, it meant a loss of income, as I used to hunt night crawlers on the old courthouse lawn during fishing season and sell them to Glen McPherren at the Sports Center.
Arthur
Posted for Cecilia:
Just this morning I came across a picture of the court house picture taken
1-2 years later that shows all the ground cover starts that were planted in
front. The only complaint I ever heard about the building was from my
father, Vawter Parker who had an office across 3rd St. from the old court
house, that now he had to walk up the hill to file papers. Agree with
others that the building was a sign of progress.
Hope the cannon question can be answered!=
David Bearss
The architectural style of the courthouse was probably inspired by the post war modern movement which grew out of a distaste for the beaux-arts or classical style. The post war boom wanted a new aesthetic and modernism paralleled the ongoing industrial growth.
Judy
While working at the courthouse for many years, I found out that the old courthouse had been housed in the Butler Bank Building for many years and then it was in a quansit hut on the South side of the bank where the parking area is now. There is one other courthouse in the State of Oregon with the same architectural design, but I do not remember the name of the County. The land on the West side, where the cannon is located, might belong to Riverside Church.
Judy
I heard that Parker, and others wanted the courthouse there rather than another location because it was easier to access from their offices.
nels
Riverside Church has a very narrow piece of land there, probably west of that oak which was just cut down several years ago, and much larger when cut down.
l.e.
From the July 10, 1954 Eugene Register-Guard:
Hood River dedicates $360,000 Courthouse:….was dedicated here Friday with several thousand persons attending.
The main speaker was Joseph K. Carson, Democratic candidate for governor. He urged the Hood River Chamber of Commerce to join the Portland chamber in promoting and international exposition in 1959.
charlott
I was a child when I saw the cannon. So haven’t the vaguest what happened to it. Such a tragic loss to our history if it was scrapped.
A note about another use in the court house. In the basement of that building was the Hood River Historical Museum, which would later become the museum where all these photos are coming from. Quite possible some of these photos had their start in that basement.
If my brain functions correctly the little museum prior to that was in a small building right behind the Butler Bank/Old H.R.County Court House. Bill, do you remember that little building?
Arthur
charlott is correct, at one point the museum was housed in a wood frame building on what is now a parking lot south of the Butler Bank Building. The same site once held the Yasui Bros. store, before they moved to Oak Street. We have some pictures of the collection at that site– you can recognize some of the photos and artifacts we still have today.
Judy
I remember while working at the Courthouse that on lunch hours, etc. we could go down to the basement and see artifacts, etc. Worked fine, until someone started to pilfer some of the items. It was so totally accessible to the outside.
Bill Seaton
Yes, Charlott, I remember the little museum behind the Butler Bank Building very well. At the time, I was quite taken with an old indian bow and arrow set they had. I saw same set again the last time I went to the museum a few years ago. It was like seeing an old friend.
Barbara Parsons Bernstein
I don’t remember the cannon. I thought the big display item was a wildcat sawmill component.
Arthur
Barbara, the picture we have of the cannon is from about 1908. I have no idea if it made it past WW I.