Undated photograph of the Pierce County Courthouse, 1012 South G St., possibly taken in the very early 1900s. The massive stone structure was built in 1892 and patterned after the Courthouse in Pittsburgh. The ornate three-story building with its turrets, spires, and arched windows was a Tacoma landmark until its demolition in 1959 to make way for the County-City Building and future parking. This undated photograph shows a number of pedestrians peering at the roadway in front of the Courthouse while several horse-and-carriages await. It is unclear whether an accident has occurred. TPL-3849
Pierce County Courthouse (Tacoma); Courthouses--Tacoma;
Current location of Tacoma Public Library's Main Branch with the Armory and Courthouse in the background. Printed on front: Carnegie Library, Court House and State Armory, Tacoma, Wn.
27 images. Pierce County Court House Proctor & Dennis, arch. John T. Long, contr. -patterned after courthouse in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania designed by Henry Hobson Richardson -"Wilkeson and Pittsburg grey freestone, finished with Tenino bluestone" -three stories, 226 ft. x 102 ft., 230 ft. tower -opened 6/21/1893 -demolished in 1959 SEE ALSO: TPL Catalog/Clipping File
TDL 12/10/1889 p.4 More room wanted
TDL 1/29/1890 p.4 Court house plans
TDL 6/18/1890 p.5 New county court house
TDL 6/22/1890 p.12 (sketch)
TDL 8/29/1890 p.3 The new County Court House
TDL 5/9/1891 p.5 Why this delay?
TDL 6/25/1892 p.3 (progress)
TDL 11/29/1892 p.3 Boilers to be placed underground instead of in basement
TDL 1/1/1893 p.15 The year's brick buildings
TDL 3/24/1893 p.4 Finest in the state
TDL 4/29/1893 p.5 Still they quarrel
TDL 9/7/1893 p.5 Contractor Long sues
TDL 9/19/1893 p.3 In the new quarters
TDL 10/5/1893 p.5 (power plant for building)
TDL 8/1/1894 p.3 The Court House dispute
TDL 4/9/1900 p.1 Must pay John T. Long TDN 6/3/1905 p.23 To secure clock in courthouse tower; proposition to get the clock formerly in the Jones Block ...
TDL 2/8/1914 p.2 (excavation for underground addition)
TDL 2/15/1914 p.22 County getting room in alley (construction of underground storage area beneath alley - still visible in the County-City Bldg. parking lot)
TDL 3/22/1914 p.22 (il of court house employees)
TDL 5/17/1914 p.32 (il of underground addition)
TDL 12/7/1919 p.B8 (remodeling by Heath, Gove & Bell, arch.)
TDL 2/8/1920 p.5 (5th floor remodeling by Heath, Gove & Bell, arch. and C.A. Beil & Son, contr.)
TDL 11/21/1920 p.A1 Hangman's stairs of years ago unsealed
TDL 4/7/1925 p.1 County courthouse has "hanging" room where two men died
TDL 3/14/1926 p.A14 Elevator operator human encyclopedia T.Times 7/29/1926 Hurray! Pierce County Court House is paid for before it is worn out
TDL 12/5/1927 p.1 Kress bandits break jail
TDL 12/15/1927 p.9 Courthouse clock fine target - but
TDL 1/7/1928 p.10 Courthouse clock back on the job
TDL 2/26/1928 p.A9 Pierce jury rooms will be replaced
TDL 11/21/1928 p.3 New lights to be installed on Court House top T.Times 5/8/1930 County records in peril in firetrap courthouse
TDL 11/27/1930 p.1 Geo. Spencer escapes jail
TDL 5/26/1931 Rotogravure Sec. p.3 (il)
TDL 2/9/1932 p.C2 Court house is a real pioneer
TDL 10/16/1932 p.A7 Courthouse flag raising is lost art; tragedy that cost life years ago ...
TDL 11/20/1932 p.A1 He loves to watch 'em root
TDL 12/31/1933 p.A3 13,104 miles of ups, downs with nearly 5,000,000 passengers end for vet courthouse elevator man
TDL 1/6/1934 p.1 Long cord serves as elevator
TDL 6/26/1934 p.1 Time stands still for courthouse
TDL 7/27/1935 p.3 Hero found to fix court house clock
TDL 7/30/1935 p.1 He likes high jobs anywhere (il)
TDL 8/14/1935 p.1 Pigeon massacre brings protest
TNT 8/17/1939 p.1 Here's real jail bird (owl flies into jail area, stares at inmates)
TNT 10/16/1940 p.1 Millions respond to draft (interior il)
TNT 2/19/1941 p.20 Let elevator contract at court house
TNT 3/10/1941 p.16 Central heat studied for courthouse
TNT 9/25/1941 p.11 Water proves unpopular at court house T.Times 9/25/1941 Courthouse drinking water found to be contaminated
TNT 5/16/1942 Says county records face fire hazard
TNT 11/1/1942 p.B10 Remember this crew? (il of work crew c.1892) T.Times 1/18/1943 Courthouse colder than igloo; business frozen
TNT 6/25/1943 They recall early days T.Times 6/25/1943 2,000 celebrate 50th anniversary of Courthouse
TNT 2/10/1946 p.A1,A11 City's fire program pushed (interior il)
TNT 3/7/1947 p.16 Small fire at co. court house
TNT 4/4/1947 p.9 More parking space around court house
TNT 5/8/1947 p.8 Cave recalls older days
TNT 12/21/1947 County's Courthouse steeped in history (il)
TNT 8/11/1948 p.1 Human drama bathed in pathos at courthouse
TNT 9/3/1948 p.1 High climber (il of metal shingle repair on spire)
TNT 10/25/1948 p.1 For beauty's (?) sake (il of tree trimming operation)
TNT 1/20/1949 Organizer Peck set to save courthouse tower
TNT 4/18/1949 p.1 Asks tower be removed
TNT 4/19/1949 p.23 No decision yet on tower
TNT 4/21/1949 p.1 Architects rally to save courthouse tower
TNT 4/22/1949 p.1 Architects check tower quake damage (il) p.19 Courthouse tower gets new lease on its life
TNT 10/23/1952 p.A11 Fire hazard serious one (interior il of county jail)
TNT 10/26/1952 p.A8 Buildings inadequate
TNT 10/30/1952 p.A7 Building needs cited (il of cracked wall)
TNT 12/8/1952 p.1 County Commissioners seeking big bedrooms (for juries)
TNT 4/7/1953 First Pierce County seat located at Steilacoom (il)
TNT 4/28/1953 p.14 Court House floor sags
TNT 8/18/1953 Blaze halted in Courthouse
TNT 8/25/1953 Hero told to let Courthouse burn
TNT 9/25/1953 p.1 Blaze hits Courthouse
TNT 10/19/1953 Motion to fly stars, stripes passed fast
TNT 10/21/1953 p.C10 New flag back at Courthouse
TNT 2/7/1954 p.A10 Law books put sag in Courthouse
TNT 6/1/1954 p.1 Murderer attempts to escape
TNT 10/16/1954 Balky county lift leaves seven snared
TNT 3/6/1955 Parking will become tougher ...
TNT 5/22/1955 Courthouse steeped in history of Tacoma (il)
TNT 9/7/1955 p.5 Survey of Courthouse possible use ordered ([proposed as community center)
TNT 9/19/1955 p.1 Blodhounds hunt for Collins, 3 other County Jail escapees
TNT 9/28/1955 p.10 Court House lets off steam (il of steam trap)
TNT 10/10/1955 p.30 Parking for courthouse
TNT 4/1/1956 p.A1 Courthouse's old bones creak a little (il)
TNT 4/2/1956 p.1 Order survey of courthouse
TNT 4/29/1956 Remember when? (il of original courthouse construction crew)
TNT 7/10/1956 p.1 Ten prisoners in County Jail stage riot
TNT 2/22/1957 (il)
TNT 10/15/1957 p.1 Armed girl tries to spring boy
TNT 3/18/1958 p.13 New parking regulations at Courthouse
TNT 5/3/1958 p.18 Museum director fails to find famed gallows (missing from room 506)
TNT 7/6/1958 p.A1 Bootleggers laid out first courthouse gardens in 1928 under boss who still holds job (il)
TNT 2/8/1959 p.A6 Huge attic in courthouse was the hanging room in two or more executions around turn of the century (interior il)
TNT 3/10/1959 p.4 Final County session held in building
TNT 4/7/1959 p.C16,C17,C19,D5 1890 clamour for new courthouse brought combination of palace, castle and dungeon: In all her glory (il)
TNT 4/12/1959 p.A8 Alfred D. Elder's life spanned courthouse
TNT 4/22/1959 p.A1 Doomed to oblivion (il)
TNT 5/17/1959 Here's why (il of bldg. damage)
TNT 6/14/1959 p.A1 Memories of old County Courthouse will live in countless local homes
TNT 6/21/1959 p.A1 Onlookers gasp as stone walls crumble down (il of demolition)
TNT 6/28/1959 p.A17 Let's have another look at that address (il of demolition)
TNT 7/31/1959 p.1 Old Courthouse tower crumbles with scarely more than a shudder (il)
TNT 3/18/1973 Old Courthouse's "dignified" death (il,sketch) Seattle Times 4/13/1992 p. A1 Courting history; teacher discovers intrigue in Washington's county seats (haunted hanging room)
TNT 12/1/2002 p.A1 The art of architecture 720 ST711S Stone : ten thousand years ago and now / pen drawings and historical data by Muriel Cambern (il) 917.9778 C498C (il) 979.7 M364T p.77 (il) 979.72 H91 Vol.I p.420, Vol.II opp. p.90 (il)
Pierce County Court House. Built in 1892 at 1012 So. G Street, it was demolished in 1959, after the new County-City Building was completed. circa 1907.
Printed on front: Pierce County Court House, Tacoma, Washington.
Although mailed in 1993, this postcard was published in 1959. Both the old Pierce County Courthouse and the new County-City Building are shown here, with the Armory visible to the far left. circa 1959.