Clatsop County is named for the Native American Clatsop tribe, who lived along the Pacific Ocean coast.
Surrounding County Courthouses:
N – Pacific County, Washington and Wahkiakum County, Washington
E – Columbia County
S – Tillamook County
W – Pacific Ocean
Created: July 22, 1844 
County Seat:
Lexington 1844 – 1854
Astoria 1854 – present
County Courthouse – Astoria
Location: 749 Commerce Street / 8th Street
Built: 1904 – 1907
Style: Neo-Classical Revival
Architect: Edgar M Lazarus of Portland
Contractor: Hastie & Dougan of Seattle
Description: The building faces north and is a two story buff colored brick, stone and concrete structure. The building is located on landscaped grounds in the center of Astoria. The rectangular shaped building has Tenino stone and pressed brick. The north front has a framed entrance with a white colored column on either side. There are three windows above the entrance on the second story and above that is a pediment with decoration. A wide cornice runs below the flat roof line. The base of the building is dark colored stone. The main double-doored entrance to the first floor leads into a large hall floored with square marble blocks, and with walls with marble and oak wainscoting highlighting the painted walls. At the south end of the first story hallway is a wide oak staircase with carved, curved banisters on each side leading up to the second story. Halfway up, it is split into two separate staircases, one on each side of the hallway, which doubles back to give access to the second story with the large County Circuit Court courtroom. On the south side of the building is the Old County Jail built in 1914. To the southeast is the County Administration Building.
See: National Register of Historic Places – Clatsop County Courthouse
History: The county was created in 1844 and Lexington was selected as the county seat. The early sessions of the court were held in private homes. The county seat was moved to Astoria in 1854. The first courthouse was a two story structure built in 1855 and the first county government met in 1856. The second and present courthouse was constructed in 1904 to 1907 at a cost of $175,000.
County Courthouse – Astoria
County Circuit Court courtroom
Old County Jail – Astoria
County Administration Building – Astoria
Photos taken 2012 and 2016