Taking 3 years to be built, the initial cost to construct the Spokane County Courthouse was $273,600. All of the county officials moved into quarters in the new courthouse by November 20, 1895.
It was extensively remodeled in 1946; and a new wing was added in 1956, which cost more than the original building - $525,000.
But the full story of the courthouse began almost a decade earlier when in 1887, colonel D.P. Jenkins donated the land and $1,000 for the construction of the new county courthouse. But it was not until 1893, when leaky roofs and other problems of the old courthouse became painfully apparent, that the Board of County Commissioners decided to act on Jenkins' offer.
On June 7, 1893, the Board officially opened the design competition for the new structure of "brick and stone or stone as near fireproof as practical to include commodious vaults for records, plumbing, heating, sewerage, closets, and everything necessary for the courthouse and jail to cost no more than $250,000." A prize would be awarded for the most original plan. Prizes were awarded as follows: Winning design 5% of the cost of construction, second prize $500, third prize $300, fourth prize $200.
The architect who submitted the winning design for the courthouse was W. A. Ritchie, then just 29 years old. He never attended a formal school of architecture, having received his initial training from a correspondence course conducted by the superintendent of architecture in the U.S. Treasury Department. Before moving to Spokane, he designed and supervised the construction of public buildings and courthouses in Seattle, Bellingham, Port Townsend, Vancouver and Olympia. He had arrived in Spokane just the year prior to winning the courthouse design competition. Kirkland Cutter, the renowned Spokane architect who designed the Monroe Street Bridge, took second place in the competition.
On August 4 1893, Mr. Ritchie submitted his detailed drawings for the new courthouse and the Board of County Commissioners ordered that notice to contractors be advertised in the Spokane newspapers, giving details of the plans of Mr. Ritchie. From October 25 to October 28, 1893, the commissioners studied submitted bids and finally ordered the contract to be awarded to David B. Fotheringham, and John Keenan was appointed superintendent of construction. Construction began in October 1893, but the building really began to go up the following spring. The brick was manufactured locally by Washington Brick and Lime Manufacturing Company of Spokane. The roof was made from imported slate shingles.
Work was suspended on the courthouse in March 1895 when a quarrel broke out between Ritchie and the superintendent of construction. The commissioners asked Ritchie to resign, he refused, and a grand jury investigated charges of "Fraud and Swindling" in connection with the courthouse. The jurors concluded that the courthouse was one of the most substantial and well-built offices in this or any other state, and built in accordance with the plans and specifications, except for changes that were duly authorized. The found no evidence of boodle or corruption. The courthouse was finally completed in November 1895. All county officials had moved into quarters in the new courthouse by November 20, 1895.
We plan to compile photos and information on historic monuments that are still standing today throughout the Inland Northwest, so visit often to check on our progress. In addition to providing valuable historic information about the region in general, we hope these glimpses back into history will spark new interest in helping to preserve and maintain the historic resources currently located here.
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