In our recap post, the Law Library of Congress staff wrote about our opportunity to exhibit and attend sessions at the American Association of Law Libraries (AALL) conference in Portland, Oregon. At the day’s end, and at lunch breaks, we could spend some brief time walking and riding the excellent public transport around the city. One of the many interesting spots to visit in Portland is the Pioneer Courthouse, located at 700 SW 6th Avenue, facing Pioneer Square.
The Pioneer Courthouse is the oldest federal building in the Pacific Northwest and the second-oldest courthouse west of the Mississippi River. (We have written about the oldest courthouse west of the Mississippi here and here.) Construction began in 1869 and was completed in 1875; it is Italianate in style and made of local stone and Oregon ash. Apparently, there were complaints when it was being built that its location was away from the center of town. These days, Pioneer Courthouse Square, directly facing the courthouse, is a hub of city life, featuring original art, festivals, food trucks, and the site of the former Portland Central School, drawing a steady flow of people. Still operating, the courthouse provides courtrooms and chambers for the Portland circuit judges as one of the four sites of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit.
Additional Reading
KF112 9th.1 United States. Court of Appeals (9th Circuit). Federal law on Disc. Court of Appeals, Ninth Circuit: Decisions of the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit.
NA4205.A6 1901 U.S. Treasury Department. A History of Public Buildings Under the Control of the Treasury Department : (Exclusive of Marine Hospitals and Quarantine Stations.) p. 486-87.
F884.P853 N46 2024 Naito-Campbell, Erica. Portland’s Audacious Champion: How Bill Naito Overcame Anti-Japanese Hate and Became a Fierce Civic Leader.
G4294.P6E635 2018 .P6 Portland Visitor’s Map LLC. Portland Visitor’s Map.
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