Sight #6 Site of the First County Building

1855 County Courthouse

26 SE Salmon Street, Portland, OR (facing Naito Parkway) (link is external)

Lease, 1855
Having been formed in December of 1854, one of the first orders of business for Multnomah County was to identify space suitable to conduct the business of the County. This 1855 Lease for a building then known as the Robinson Building, which was located on Front Street between Taylor and Salmon, was identified and space for County operations was leased there. Front Street is now Naito Parkway and the World Trade Center now stands on the block where the Robinson Building was located.

At the time, the Oregon Constitution specified that 3 commissioners be elected and that one of the three be appointed a probate judge. The judge, plus the other two commissioners comprised the County Court, which was responsible for running the new County. The lease was drawn up by appointed, interim commissioners James F. Bybee, George W. Vaughn and John Emsley Scott. Elections would not be held until 1856.

The first meeting of the County’s Board of County Commissioners was held on January 17, 1855. The agenda for the first ever meeting of what later evolved into the Multnomah County Board of Commissioners saw bond presentations and approvals for the positions of County Auditor, County Sheriff and County Treasurer, as well as the agreement of $500 per annum (year) to lease the furnished 2nd story of the the Robison Building as a Court House. The money would be paid quarterly. The commissioners also authorized the new City Auditor to procure stationary for his office, and for the board.

They concluded by setting another meeting for the very next day. 

Next Stop:

Sight #7 Hawthorne or Morrison Bridge

Get There From Here by:

Stay standing and facing Naito Parkway and the river for the next sight.

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