What Is the Multnomah County Courthouse?
This is the Neo Classical Revival courthouse of Multnomah County, located in Portland, Oregon!
What Makes It Historical?
After constructing Portland’s City Hall, architects, Whidden & Lewis, turned to another government building: a courthouse for Multnomah County! Since Portland had experienced major growth between 1890 and 1915, it made sense for its courthouse to be similarly grand. Built between 1911 and 1914, the Neo Classical courthouse was Portland’s largest building and the largest courthouse on the West Coast!
Like City Hall, the courthouse was built to be fireproof and fully equipped with modern comforts. It was also uniquely built on the same site as the original courthouse, while that courthouse was still operating! Only after eight floors of the east wing were finished did the old courthouse get torn down so the new one could finish devouring the block!
How Can I #HelpTheHelpers?
- Become a member of the Oregon Historical Society!
- Donate to the Oregon Historical Society!
- Be a responsible visitor! Please respect the signs and pathways, and treat all structures and artifacts with respect. They’ve endured a lot to survive into the present. They’ll need our help to make it into the future!
How Do I Get There?
1021 SW 4th Ave
Portland, OR 97204
(Take Me There!)
When Should I Visit?
The courthouse is open Monday through Friday from 8:00 AM until 5:00 PM!