The Benton County Courthouse is celebrating 100 years of service to our Benton County community members. To honor and celebrate this achievement, we have planned a number of events to highlight the history, celebrate the present, and prepare for the future of the historic Prosser Courthouse.
Centennial Celebration Events
- April 28, 2026 - In honor of Arbor Day (April 24th)
- We will hold an official tree planting and dedication ceremony on the Prosser Courthouse lawn.
- TBD - The Great Centennial Event
- Stay tuned for more details!
History
Constructed in 1926 in the neo-classical revival style, the Prosser Courthouse is a three-story, brick and terra cotta building. It was designed by architect George M. Rasque and was the first permanent courthouse facility in Benton County. Its construction lent political stability to the County. It represents the area's first example of monumental public architecture with deliberate "high-style" design features (1).
Few pictures can be found of the Courthouse from the past. However, in 1977, artist Richard Hashagen set a goal to illustrate in pen and ink, multiple scenes of the Northwest. He published a book in 1986 which contained numerous sketches, including County Courthouses throughout all of Washington State (2).
The Courthouse was deemed a National Historic Landmark in December 1976. A marker was placed on the building itself and can be seen just to the right of the north entrance, facing Dudley Avenue (3). The Courthouse was added to the Register of National Historic Places by the Washington State Advisory Council on Historic Preservation. It is one of only seventeen listings on the Register for all of Benton County.
- Revisiting Washington (revisitwa.org). Prosser - Benton County Courthouse
- Washington Courts (courts.wa.gov). Educational Resources - Washington State Courthouses
- The Historical Marker Database (HMdb.org). Benton County Courthouse (2024)
