Crook County is named for George Crook, who was a United States Army officer who served in the American Civil War and the Indian Wars.
Surrounding County Courthouses:
N – Jefferson County and Wheeler County
E – Grant County and Harney County
S – Deschutes County
W – Deschutes County
Created: October 24, 1882
County Seat:
Prineville 1884 – present
County Courthouse – Prineville
Location: 300 NE 3rd Street / SE Court Street
Built: 1908 – 1909
Style: Neo-Classical Revival
Architect: Walter D Pugh of Salem
Contractor: John B Shipp.
Description: The building faces north and is a two story native blue-gray colored stone and concrete structure. The building is located on landscaped grounds in the center of Prineville. The building is built of basalt quarried from a site located just west of the Ochoco Viewpoint, a mile to the west. The north front has a porch located at the center supported by four white colored columns and with a balcony on the second story. Above is a pediment at the roof line. On the center of the roof is a large square white colored cupola with clock at the top. In the interior, there are wooden stairs and on the floor, a map of the county. The building houses the County Circuit of the 22nd Judicial District. The architect was Walter D Pugh of Salem and the contractor was John B Shipp. The building was remodeled in 1941. In 1989 to 1990 repairs were completed after a wind storm. On the north side of the building is the County Courthouse Annex.
Note: The courthouse contract was awarded to Wright and McNeely for the stone foundation and superstructure. The old courthouse, completed in 1884, was moved off site to become a school annex. After building the aboveground basement and three flights of stairs, the builders defaulted, and a new contract was awarded to John B Shipp for $57,000.
County Justice Center – Prineville
Location: 260 NW 2nd Street / NW Beaver Street
Built: 2022 – 2024
Style: Modern
Architect: Pinnacle Architecture and KMB Architects Architecture
Contractor: Kirby Nagelhout Construction Company of Pendleton
Description: The building faces north and is a three story stone, glass and concrete structure. The building is located on landscaped grounds in the center of Prineville to the west of the courthouse. In the interior are three County Circuit Court courtrooms located on the second and third stories The building houses the County Circuit Court of the 22nd Judicial District.
See: The 22nd Judicial District includes Jefferson County.
History: The county was created in 1882 and Prineville was selected as the county seat in 1884. The first courthouse was a one story wooden structure at West 5th Street and Main Street built in 1884. In 1885, the second courthouse was a two story wood structure built at a cost of $5,474. In 1905, the courthouse was deemed unsafe. The third and present courthouse was constructed in 1908 to 1909 at a cost of $48,590. The County Justice Center was constructed in 2022 to 2024 at a cost of $51,000,000.
County Courthouse – Prineville
County Courthouse Annex – Prineville
Photos taken 2012 and 2016
Images 15