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Washington County History
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WASHINGTON COUNTY was organized at statehood from part of the old Cherokee
Nation. The name honored George Washington, the first president of the United
States. The county seat selected by delegates to the Constitutional Convention
was Bartlesville, a town established in 1879 and named for Jacob Bartles, who
had built a trading post on the site. In 1913, after renting space for six
years, county commissioners began work on a new county courthouse. Designed by
architect P.H. Weathers, the work was completed by the Inland Construction
Company at a cost of $94,750. The structure combined a unique mixture of |
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architectural elements. The basic design was Second Renaissance Revival, with
distinct horizontal zones, molded belt courses, rusticated stone finish on the
ground level, and small fourth floor windows. Other elements of design included
the colossal arch over the main entry, decorative touches of Neo-Classical
architecture, and a sweeping staircase leading to the main entry. In 1972
Washington County purchased the present county courthouse for $115,000 from |
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the federal government, which had used it as a federal post office and court
building. Built in 1933, the brick and granite structure was designed by
architect James E. Wetmore. The facade of the building was divided into two distinct
zones, a lower level of smooth faced stone, the upper level of brick. This
division was enhanced by unique window treatment and proportion. Other elements
of design included the smooth ashlars quoins, the tiled roof, and the single
dormer on the roof. |
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