Jefferson County is named for Mount Jefferson located in the county and which mountain was named after Thomas Jefferson, who was President of the United States from 1801 to 1809.
Created: December 12, 1914
County Seat:
Madras 1914 – present
County Courthouse – Madras
Location: 75 SE C Street / SE 7th Street
Built: 1960 – 1961
Style: Modern
Architect: Roald, Schmeer & Harrington
Contractor: A R Ritchie & Company
Description: The building faces north and is a two story concrete structure. The north front has a projecting east section. The central entrance is recessed with a projecting entrance section. The west section has windows on the first and second stories. The roof line is flat.
New County Courthouse – Madras
Location: 129 SW E Street / SW 3rd Street
Built: 2015 – 2016
Style: Modern
Architect: DLR Group of Portland and HSR Master Planning and Architecture of Bend
Contractor: Skanska of Portland.
Description: The building faces north and is a two story concrete and glass structure presently being constructed. The north front has a projecting center section with five vertical pillars. The first story is recessed. The second story has glass walls. Three sections rise on the flat roof line.
Note: The cost of construction of the new courthouse is $11,500,000.
Old County Courthouse – Madras
Location: 34 D Street / 6th Street
Built: 1916 – 1917
Style: Neo-Classical
Architect: O G Brubaker
Contractor: Guy Wilson
Description: The building faces south and is a two story red colored brick structure. The rectangular building is located on landscaped grounds. The south front has a central arched entrance. A projecting cornice runs below the roof line and between the first and second stories. The building served as courthouse and later as City Hall.
See: National Register of Historic Places – Old Jefferson County Courthouse and Jail
Courthouses:
N – Wasco County
E – Wheeler County
S – Crook County and Deschutes County
W – Linn County and Marion County
Photos taken 2012 and 2016