Thursday, January 5, 2012

Old Lane County Courthouse circa 1940



Here is a view toward the North East of the Old Lane County Courthouse. The Spanish American War Memorial Fountain can be seen still intact on the corner (It can be seen today minus its wrought iron lantern at the Pioneer Museum) amid the lushly landscaped grounds. The structure, built in 1898 was nearly identical to the Polk County Court House (which incidentally still stands, beautifully preserved and still in use in Dallas Oregon) and was demolished in the late 1950's. Why any one person, let alone a group of County administrators would decide to raze this beautiful building is an astounding mystery. Even if the building had been out grown it could have been modified for use as the City Hall or even the Lane County Pioneer Museum. A small sample of the gorgeous interior woodwork, namely the grand staircase and the courtroom interior can be viewed in the collection of the Pioneer Museum.

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