On January 29, 1851 The Oregon Territory Legislature created Lane County. The county area was larger than it is today. It included all of the area west of the Rocky Mountains, north of the California border and south of Linn County. A county is a part of a state or territory that is in charge of making local laws. A county needs a “county seat” with a courthouse where laws are enforced. County commissioners were offered land on which to build a courthouse from Eugene Skinner, Charnel Mulligan, Prior Blair, and Elias Briggs. The commissioners accepted 40 acres from both Eugene and Mary Skinner and Charnel and Martha Mulligan. The county then sold most of the land to raise money to pay for the courthouse.

There have been several buildings used for courthouses or clerk’s offices throughout the years. The first courthouse was in a small board shanty used in 1852 to hold trials. Then the county clerk’s building, constructed in 1853, was used until it became too small. This building has been moved several times and is now at the fairgrounds adjacent to the Lane County Historical Museum. Click on the pictures to enlarge them.

County Clerk Office, Built 1853

1st Courthouse, Built 1855

2nd Courthouse, Built 1898

Current Courthouse

• The first courthouse was built in 1855 at a cost of $8,500.
• A second courthouse was completed in 1898, at a cost of under $50,000.
• The building was torn down in 1959 to make way for the current structure, which cost $2,146,350. source