The original Wasco County Courthouse, built in 1859, stands adjacent to the Chamber of Commerce on West 2nd Street and features displays, slide shows and tapes. This courthouse was once the the seat of government for the largest county ever formed in the United States. In 1854, Wasco County covered 130,000 square miles from the Cascades to the Rockies, encompassing an area that now includes the states of Oregon, Washington, Idaho, Montana and Wyoming.
The courthouse has been moved several times until coming to rest at its present location, directly behind The Dalles Area Chamber of Commerce building.
The building has been placed on the National Register of Historic Places.
There is a plaque posted on the building which reads: Original Wasco County Courthouse - Completed in 1859 in response to a citizen petition, this courthouse is one of only two still standing which date back to Oregon Territorial days. The building, which cost $2,500, provided the first county-owned jail and office space. The sheriff had his office on the first floor near three jail cells; the courtroom and clerk's office were upstairs, entered only by an outside staircase. This courthouse, seat of government in a county that once was 130,000 square miles, served until the county built a larger one in 1882. The old, much-remodeled building was moved to this site in 1975 and has since undergone extensive restoration.
The old west was a wild place, and the Wasco County Courthouse was the site of legal justice and punishment for transgressors. The jail was, however, escapable and the need for better security was one of the reasons that the county sheriffs promoted the construction of a new jail facility. You can see some of the devices used to constrain prisoners inside the courthouse. We often hear about leg shackles and the ball and chain, but getting a close-up view of these old devices makes a chill run down your spine.
Hours:
Open Thursday - Monday. Closed Tuesday. & Wednesday.
July and August from 10am-4pm; closed Tues. & Wed.
Closed Nov. - Feb.
February is the month where the Original Courthouse presents the Chataqua Lecture Series. These Saturday lectures cover a variety of local historical topics and are always interesting. People gather for coffee and to listen to the lectures in the old courtroom upstairs. The building reflects the construction that was typical in its day, and as a result it is not handicapped accessible.
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