Yamhill County is named for the Yamhill members of the Kalapuya Native American tribe who lived along the Yamhill River in the western Willamette Valley.
Surrounding County Courthouses:
N – Tillamook County and Washington County
E – Multnomah County and Marion County
S – Polk County
W – Tillamook County
Created: July 5, 1843
County Seat:
LaFayette 1847 – 1889
McMinville 1889 – present
County Courthouse – McMinnville
Location: 535 Northeast 5th Street / NE Evans Street
Built: 1963 – 1964
Style: Modern
Architect: Roald, Schmeer & Harrington of Portland
Contractor: Guhr & Sons
Description: The building faces south and is a two story brown colored brick and concrete structure. The building is located in the city center. The south front has a central entrance with concrete canopy extending from the building. Above on the second story are windows with yellow colored panels above and below. The roof line is flat. On the south side is the two story white colored wood frame house containing the Board of Commissioners office and the old Post Office constructed in 1935 to 1937, which now serves as the Clerk’s Office.
History: The county was created in 1843 and LaFayette was selected as the county seat in 1847. In 1888, the county seat was moved to McMinnville. The first courthouse was designed by Medoren Crawford and built by Rush Mendenhalll in Lafayette in 1859 to 1860 at a cost of $14,875. The second courthouse was designed and built by Pauley Jail Building and Manufacturing Company in McMinville in 1888 at a cost of $62,000. The third and present courthouse was constructed in 1963 to 1964.
County Courthouse – McMinnville
Board of Commissioners Building – McMinnville
County Clerk Building – McMinnville
Photos taken 2012 and 2016
Images 9