Spokane County is named for the Spokane Native American tribe who resided in the region.
Created: October 30, 1879
County Seat:
Spokane 1879 – present
County Courthouse – Spokane
Location: 1116 Broadway Street / North Jefferson Street
Built: 1893 – 1895
Style: French Renaissance Revival
Architect: Willis A. Ritchie
Contractor: David Fotheringham
Description: The building faces south and is a four story light cream colored dry pressed brick, stone and concrete structure. The building is located on landscaped grounds and has a large square stone tower rising 125 feet at the central front of the building. There is a round arched entrance at the first story and at the top of the tower is a conical roof surrounded by sharply tapering pinnacles. Two large wings decorated with minarets at the corners, flank the central section of the building.
Note: The cost of construction was $340,000.
See: The architect Willis A. Ritchie also designed the courthouse in Jefferson County.
County Courthouse Annex – Spokane
Location: 1116 Broadway Street / North Jefferson Street
Built: 1954 – 1955
Style: Modern
Architect: Whitehouse & Price Architects
Contractor: Busboon & Rauch
Description: The building faces north and is a five story cream colored brick and concrete structure. The rectangular building is located on the north side of the courthouse wad is connected along the south side. The north side has a central entrance. A projecting cornice runs along the flat roof line. In 2005, the building was renovated.
County Juvenile Courthouse – Spokane
Location: 1208 West Mallon Avenue / North Jefferson Street
Built: 1939 – 1940
Style: Modern
Architect: Henry G Bertelsen
Contractor: J T Halin & Company
Description: The building faces south and is a three story cream colored brick and concrete structure. The building is located on the northwest side of the courthouse. The central entrance has a small projection over the recessed doorway. The roof line is flat.
County District Courthouse – Spokane Valley
Location: 12710 East Sprague Avenue / Houk Road
Built: 1998 – 1999
Style: Modern
Architect: Reeves Associates Inc.
Contractor: Vandervert Construction Inc. of Spokane
Description: The building faces north and is a one story light cream colored concrete structure. The building is located in a shopping mall and was formerly a PEP Boys Store. The north front of the square shaped building has a central glassed section with green colored canopy and a wide green colored band running horizontally. The roof line is flat. The project manager was Adam & Clark Inc. of Spokane. The building was remodeled in 2002. The architect was Kent Chadwell/Zeck Butler Architects. The building houses the Sheriff Precinct and District Court.
Courthouses:
N – Stevens County and Pend Oreille County
E – Bonner County, Idaho, Kootenai County, Idaho and Benewah County, Idaho
S – Whitman County
W – Lincoln County and Stevens County
Pictures taken 2006 and 2016