Thurston County Courthouse (Washington)

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Thurston County Courthouse
Thurston County Courthouse, aka Capitol Court Building, Olympia, Washington, June 23, 2025.jpg
Front of Courthouse in 2025
Thurston County Courthouse (Washington)
Thurston County Courthouse (Washington)
Thurston County Courthouse (Washington)
Interactive map of Courthouse location
Location1110 Capitol Way South, Olympia, Washington
Coordinates 47°02′15″N122°54′01″W / 47.03763°N 122.90019°W / 47.03763; -122.90019
Area50,000 square feet (4,600 m2)
Built1930 (1930)
Built byWalter Boyer of Yakima
Architect Joseph Wohleb
Architectural style Art Deco
Restored1991
Website capitol.wa.gov/discover/buildings/capitol-court-building
NRHP reference No. 81000592 [1]
Added to NRHPJuly 23, 1981

The Thurston County Courthousea.k.a. the Capitol Court Building in Olympia, Washington is the former headquarters of Thurston County. [2] [3] It was built in 1930 and has been listed on the National Register of Historic Places since 1981. In 1978, the court was relocated to Olympia's Westside; [4] the building remained vacant until 1989 and completed renovations in 1991. [5] Since 1995, offices in the building have been leased by various government agencies and private businesses. [6]

Contents

Design

The Art Deco style, reinforced concrete building has 50,000 square feet (4,600 m2) of floor space and is made of Tenino sandstone. It is 4 stories tall, with a raised basement, a 2-story addition on each side, and topped with a rectangular tower. [5] The foundation measures 184.5 feet (56.2 m) by 84 feet (26 m). The primary contractor was Walter Boyer of Yakima. [1]

History

Rear view of the Courthouse in 1938 Aerial back view of Thurston County Courthouse, Olympia, Washington, June 14, 1938 (cropped).jpg
Rear view of the Courthouse in 1938

On March 25, 1929, Joseph Wohleb was selected to design a new courthouse for Thurston County, to be located at the southeast corner of Capitol Way and 11th Avenue. Construction was completed the following year for a project cost of $350,000 (equivalent to $6.59 million in 2024). [6]

A formal dedication ceremony took place on Friday, September 12, 1930 with hundreds in attendance; the courthouse was officially open for business the following Monday, September 15. [7]

In 2020, the building underwent a $3.5 million renovation, including cleaning, repairs to cracks in historic sandstone exterior masonry, and restoration of original windows. [5] [8]

Tenants

As of 2025, the building provides facilities for the following tenants: [6] [9]

See also

References

  1. 1 2 "National Register Information System – (#81000592)". National Register of Historic Places . National Park Service. November 2, 2013.
  2. ↑ "Old Thurston County Courthouse-Capitol Way/Site of Milroy House/Trolley system". Olympia Historical Society and Bigelow House Museum. Retrieved April 22, 2022.
  3. ↑ Crooks, Jennifer. "The Tale of a Saved Landmark: Thurston County's 1930 Courthouse". Thurston Talk. Retrieved April 22, 2022.
  4. ↑ "Thurston County Courthouses Through History". Olympia Historical Society and Bigelow House Museum. Retrieved June 23, 2025.
  5. 1 2 3 "Building Projects". Department of Enterprise Services (DES). Retrieved June 23, 2025.
  6. 1 2 3 "Capitol Court Building". Washington State Capitol Campus. Retrieved June 23, 2025.
  7. ↑ Crooks, Jennifer (May 20, 2018). "The Tale of a Saved Landmark: Thurston County's 1930 Courthouse". ThurstonTalk. Retrieved June 23, 2025.
  8. ↑ Gentzler, Sara (February 4, 2020). "Old courthouse on Capitol Way getting $3.5 million restoration". The Olympian . Retrieved June 22, 2025.
  9. ↑ "Capitol Court Building". Department of Enterprise Services (DES). Retrieved June 23, 2025.
  10. ↑ "Office Locator". Washington State Department of Archaeology and Historic Preservation . April 12, 2011. Retrieved June 23, 2025.

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