It is a massive High Victorian structure built of local Bowlby stone.

[3][4][5] Originally, the Wallowa County government rented office space on the second floor of a building on Main Street in Enterprise.

In 1898, citizens proposed building a courthouse, but county officials decided it was cheaper to continue renting office space.

The contributors also insisted that the total cost of the courthouse be at least $25,000 to ensure the structure would be a well-built landmark for the community.

[3] The courthouse was designed by Calvin R. Thornton, an architect from La Grande, Oregon.

The courthouse was built in the High Victorian style with massive stone facades on all four sides.

[1] The building has some Queen Anne elements, such as multiple roof forms, segmental windows arches, and patterned shingles.

[3][6] The perimeter foundation and exterior walls are made of rough-cut Bowlby stone, a type of volcanic tuff.

Five first floor windows at the southeast corner of the building have steel bars and are covered with woven wire mesh.

Originally, there were five barred windows on the northeast corner of the building, where the women's jail was located.

There are clear beveled-glass sidelights flanking the entry doors with floral-patterned glass transoms above the each entrance.

The portion of the roof visible from the street is covered with asbestos tiles that are a charcoal gray color.

The courthouse has a white decorative cornice made of sheet-metal running along the perimeter of the building.

The courthouse cupola is a wood-framed element with sheet metal detailing that crowns the structure.

Today, the courthouse continues to serve its original purpose with offices in the basement, first, and second floors while the attic is now used for storage.

The ceilings are low with exposed mechanical systems visible in the hallway and office spaces.

Until the 1970s, there was a basement apartment for the courthouse custodian, who maintained the building, stoked the boiler, and cooked for prisoners housed in the county jail.

The clerk's area includes a main office, a research room, and a vault.

The northeast corner of the building originally had a women's jail; however, the cells were removed in 1997 and the area was converted into office space.

The original cells remain intact, but are only used to temporary hold prisoners who are being booked or who are making a court appearance.

The southwest quadrant houses offices for the Veteran's Administration and the county assessor.

An oak balustrade divides the courtroom into two sections, separating the judge, attorneys, and jury from the public seating area.

The judge's and attorney's desks are made of oak, and are original courthouse furnishings.

The attic's dormers and windows were built to for their exterior effect, not for interior lighting.

[3] The Wallowa County courthouse is located at 101 South River Street in Enterprise, Oregon.

On the northwest corner of the square stands a concrete arch that is dedicated to the early pioneers of Wallowa County, who arrived in the 1870s.

The local American Legion post placed the 7,710-kilogram (7.59-long-ton; 8.50-short-ton) granite boulder in front of the courthouse in 1925.

The bronze plaque mounted on the boulder bears the names of Wallowa County men killed in World War I.

It was replaced in 1947 with a World War II Howitzer that honors American veterans.