The courthouse, library, city hall and post office, on the four corners of South Oak Street and East Astor Avenue, comprise Colville's Civic Plaza. This Civic Plaza was the first of its kind to be undertaken in Washington state.
The architectural style of this large, multicoloured brick building tells us that it was built well after the turn of the century, when French and Roman Renaissance buildings were still the norm for large civic buildings.
This is the third documented location for the Stevens County Courthouse. The first courthouse in the new town of Colville was a wooden structure built in 1886. In 1898, it was replaced with a handsome brick building that was torn down in 1938 to build the present courthouse. Designed by architect G.A. Pehrson; the general contractor was Tri-State Construction Company of Portland, Oregon. The original cost of construction, in depression dollars, was $94,680.00, 45% of which was borne by a PWA grant. An addition and face-lift to the current Courthouse, by architects Barnard and Holloway of Spokane, was completed in 1973.
The site contains a number of historical exhibits. It features garden-lined walkways and a water fountain that was restored to use in the summer of 2009, in conjunction with a renovation project within the courthouse. The courthouse has been designated a City of Colville Heritage Property.
References:
Washington Historical:
The City's governmental complex, in which the Post Office anchors a corner, received the City Hall and new County Courthouse through WPA programs.
Section 2a
Description of General Area--cont.
The Stevens County Courthouse (1938) and the City Hall (1937) were
projects funded by the WPA.
Section 4
Architectural Significance--cont.
(October 24, 1936) Another article that day reported that plans had been approved for the improvement of the Courthouse: a $51.173 project (PWA to cover 45% of the cost) would shorten the tower, replace the peaked roof with a flat one, extend the structure and modernize the interior.
Section 5
Historical Significance