Views of Sequim, the Olympic Peninsula. . .and beyond
The Jefferson County Courthouse majestically overlooks Port Townsend Bay and the entrance to Admiralty Inlet. Approved for construction in 1890 by the
Jefferson County Commissioners, the Romanesque style courthouse, brainchild
of Seattle architect W. A. Ritchie, was let out to contractors at an estimated cost of $150,000.00.
In yesterday’s post I showed you the Clallam County Courthouse. Coincidentally, yesterday I went to Port Townsend and passed by the Jefferson County Courthouse, above, so you get to see the grand courthouse of our neighboring county. Built in 1892, the building is Romanesque Revival and designed by W.A. Ritchie. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1973.
The courthouse was built during a booming, optimistic era in Port Townsend. Its natural deep water harbor at the mouth of Puget Sound made it a perfect destination for sailing ships coming into the Pacific Northwest. Port Townsend was a key West Coast shipping center and its beautiful Victorian era buildings reflect its growing wealth.
The arrival of railroads at the southern end of Puget Sound bypassed the region and changed Port Townsend’s fortunes. Lumber and eventually shipbuilding and an arts community contributed to Port Townsend’s survival and today it’s a popular tourist hub.
The Jefferson County Courthouse is a standout building atop a hill in Port Townsend. Designed by Seattle architect W. A. Ritchie in the Romanesque style, it was built in 1891 for an estimated cost of $150,000.
Here is a look at some of the detail.
The historic Clallam County Courthouse in Port Angeles is smaller than this but lovely in its own right. I must post it, too.