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Architectural Evolution
A FEW YEARS AND TREES BEGIN TO APPEAR
The first, or original, courthouse
in Coquille was a frame structure,
two stories and basement, erected in
1898 by H. Snook of Salem at his bid
of $12,105. Bids wdre originally
opened in April, 1897, but held in
abeyance for nine months because
proper plans had not been made for
funds with which to build. This delay•
cost the county close to $500, be
cause the price of material had ad
vanced in the meantime. At the time
the structure was erected it was
thought thatit was being made suffi-
cielhtly large to take care of the
county's needs for many years, but
the vision of the most sanguineresi-
dents of that day could riot foresee
what the future had in store for Coos
County.
NEWLY PAINTED AND THE TREES HAVE GROWN
Coos County Court and Officials
The first Coos County Judge was
Charles Pearce, appointed from April
12, 1854 to December 18,1854. RJS.
Belknap was appointed to succeed
Pearce in September of; 1855, Pearce
continuing until another appointment
was completed. The remaining county
judges serving Coos County were
Samuel S. Mann, July 4,1859 to July 4,
1866; Gilbert Hall, D.J. Lowe, J.H.
Nosier (two terms), Geo. M. Dyer, D.L.
Watson (two terms) J. Henry Schtoe-
der, member of the Original Baltimore
colony, L. Harloeker (two termsJGohn
F. Hall (two terms), James Watson-
C.R. Wade, RH. Mast, D.F. Thompson
and Hugh McLain. This list goes up to
1937.
The first circuit court judge of this
district in 1859 was ObediahB. McFad
den, then associate supreme court judge,
the three supreme court judges then
each presiding over one of the state's
three districts.
STERN WHEELER WITH THE
" DISPATCH" BEHIND IT
COURTHOUSE -1916
In 1916, the population of Coos County had so grown and its legal business so increased that it was necessary
to erect a new and more modem addition to the frame structure. Even the capacity of this addition, known as the
Hall of Records, was fast overcrowded, and the prediction was made that before another 10 years rolled around,
Coos County would need a larger and more modem structure to house its various departments.