On Christmas Eve of 2013 this courthouse was listed on the National Register of Historic Places. An example of monumental public architecture from the Classical Revival period, it was designed by regionally notable architect George Williams of the Williams & Williams partnership.
In 1978 a new building was constructed one mile away and the court and sheriff's office were moved there. The building now houses other county functions.
The Pend Oreille County Courthouse in Newport, WA is eligible for listing in the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) under Criterion A for its direct associations with politics and government,
and the development of the city of Newport and Pend Oreille County. The courthouse is also eligible under Criterion C as a locally significant example of monumental public architecture from the
Classical Revival period, and an outstanding example of the work of regionally notable architect George Williams and the Williams & Williams partnership. The period of significance begins in 1915,
the year the courthouse was completed, and ends in 1940, the year the jail building was added to the site.
Construction of the courthouse served not only as a symbol of architecture within the community, but a symbol of permanence in fortifying Newport's position as the permanent county seat. Its
construction during a period when both Newport and Pend Oreille County were developing and growing helps tie the building deeper into the historical roots of the young county. The strength, and sense of order and community conveyed by a courthouse represents its own sense of significance few other buildings types can convey. The building remains today a recognizable symbol for Pend Oreille County. It is one of the most substantial and architecturally-defined buildings in Newport, and is the only significant example of monumental public architecture and Classical Revival style architecture in the town. Due to the abundance of available concrete in the area, the majority of large, commercial buildings in Newport exhibit concrete-block construction; the county courthouse and Newport City Hall (1914) are the only substantial, historical buildings in the town to be constructed of brick. The property's association with a regionally significant architect only serves to further solidify its significance.
Though some renovations have taken place, they have been primarily done in the spirit of modernizing the building, rather than altering it, so that it can continue to serve the people and needs of the county while maintaining its historical prominence - a common occurrence for this building type. The property today retains integrity of location, design, materials, workmanship, setting, and
association as well as many of its most character-defining features including form, overall appearance, massing, and fenestration. Overall, the building is remarkably intact for its age.
Though the court function has been removed to another facility, the courthouse as a whole continues to serve as a public, county building as intended, still housing the majority of the county's employees, offices and functions. The majority of the volume for the original courtroom space remains intact as one large room, losing space only to a small foyer with a meeting room and restroom all at its east end; much of the original material and character of the courtroom remain. A
great deal of the original materials and workmanship remain intact throughout the entire building, the overall plan, form, and flow remains much intact on all three levels, and the character of the building as well as its surroundings is little changed resulting in a courthouse that is remarkably intact for its type. The political and architectural integrity of the property as a whole has been minimally impacted by its alterations. As a result, the Pend Oreille County Courthouse maintains sufficient integrity for listing in the NRHP.
From the National Park Service