Saturday, July 20, 2013

Postcard - Spokane, Washington

"Spokane County Commissioners, in the 90's, offered a prize for the most original courthouse design. It was won by 29 yr. old W.A. Ritchie, a 'correspondent' architect with no formal training. This unbelievably beautiful, yet functional old Chateau was built for a cost of $340,000. (Estimated to be $4,000,000 today.) It is said to resemble most closely the Chateau d'Azay Le Rideau, France, 1516. The Annex, built in 1957 cost $559,190 and the new, adjacent Public Safety Building cost $7,500,000."

Probably from the 1970s, back when "the 90's" meant the 1890s.