Benton County is named for Thomas Hart Benton, who was a United States Senator and who advocated for the control of the Oregon Country by the United States.
Surrounding County Courthouses:
N – Polk County
E – Linn County
S – Lane County
W – Lincoln County
Created: December 23, 1847
County Seat:
Corvallis 1851 – present
County Courthouse – Corvallis
Location: 120 NW 4th Street / NW Monroe Avenue
Built: 1888 – 1889
Style: High Victorian Italianate
Architect: Delos D Neer of Portland
Contractor: Thomas Mann and John Robertson of Portland
Description: The building faces east and is a three story white colored stuccoed brick and native stone structure. The building is located on spacious landscaped grounds in the center of Corvallis. The east front has a one story portico with arched entrance on the first story. Behind rises a five story square clock tower with a statue of Justice, sloped red colored roof and with a clock at the top. The foundation is rusticated ashlar gray colored granite. The building has a hipped red colored roof. In the interior, the County Circuit Court courtroom is located on the second story. The building houses the County Circuit Court of the 21st Judicial District. The building is the oldest courthouse in Oregon which is still used as a courthouse. The building was renovated in 1976.
Note: Nineteen large stones were procured in San Francisco and the sand for the exterior stucco and interior plastering was shipped from Lewisville, Washington. The Howard tower clock was installed after the building was finished. Local labor and materials were used. The building is the oldest courthouse in Oregon which is still used as a courthouse.
See: The architect Delos D Neer of Portland also designed courthouses in Baker County and Polk County.
See: National Register of Historic Places – Benton County Courthouse
History: The county was created in 1847 and Corvallis ( Marysville ) was selected as the county seat in 1851. The first courthouse was designed by R R Rounds and John Pike and built by George Wrenn in 1854 to 1855 at a cost of $6,197. The second and present courthouse was constructed in 1888 to 1889 at a cost of $70,000.
County Courthouse – Corvallis
Photos taken 2012 and 2015
Images 21