On July 2, 1999, a Friday evening, a 5.9 magnitude earthquake shook Western Washington. Just 10 miles west of its epicenter, the Grays Harbor County Courthouse sustained significant damage, necessitating months of repair. In addition to reconstructing the dome and fixing broken stonework and windows, county officials took the opportunity to restore the majestic artwork throughout the courthouse.
For the first time since 1910, artisans took down the magnificent murals that grace the domed ceiling and the walls of the courtrooms. As the murals traveled to Seattle for restoration, the county took stock of the remaining artwork. Damage also marred the lovely stained glass at the top of the dome, as well as decorative panels throughout the building.
Fortunately, local artists brought the necessary talent. Skip Unterseher, of Aberdeen, worked on the panels and paintings, while Hoquiam artist Cathy Rusley Smith repaired the stained glass.
Working on scaffolding several stories high, local artist Skip Unterseher restored murals in the courthouse dome after a recent water leak. This is the second time Unterseher has stepped in to save the artwork, first working on the courthouse murals after the 1999 earthquake. (Photo By Juliana Wallace)
“I couldn’t believe how good the repairs were,” remembers Superior Court Judge Katie Svoboda. “It’s interesting to me that you have these major things that need to be done and that we have the artists here in the county and are able to use them.”
In fact, the artists did such exceptional work that when a water leak caused more damage in 2020, Director of Facilities Mark Cox immediately suggested that the county hire Unterseher. Once again, Unterseher restored the murals and other artwork. He meticulously matched 100-year-old paint colors and re-created decorative panels on muslin to allow for easier repair in the future.
Much of Unterseher’s artwork flies under the radar. For instance, some of the “marble” in the courthouse is actually wood painted to look like marble. On the other hand, the original doors, though they look like wood, are in fact made of metal. Unterseher has mastered the art of creating faux marble and wood, allowing the county to maintain the original appearance even through repairs.
Unterseher, 72, loves his work. “I’ve made my living doing this for almost 50 years,” he says. “And to think that at my age you get to do this, not once, but twice. It’s so cool.” The results are stunning. And with the restoration and the addition of new, carefully placed LED lighting, visitors can now see the courthouse art in all its original majesty. “It’s hard not to be taken aback when you look up and see that beautiful artwork jump off the canvas,” states Cox.
The artwork begins on the grand stairway leading up to the second floor. Six murals grace the walls, depicting local history and scenery. German American artist Franz Rohrbeck and his crew painted the centerpiece murals, as well as murals in Superior Courtrooms 1 and 2 and the murals in the dome. Murals in Superior Courtroom No. 1, where Judge Katie Svoboda presides, portray the role of justice. (Photo By Juliana Wallace) While exceptional pieces of art, the downstairs murals misrepresent the Native Americans.
“Rohrbeck didn’t realize that the Northwest Coast Indians were different than the Plains Indians, so the Native Americans that he portrayed are wearing big, long headdresses. We know that’s not the way our Coast Indians lived and dressed,” explains Cox. The “Transgression” mural is one of two murals in Superior Courtroom No. 2. (Photo By Juliana Wallace)
Once upstairs, courthouse visitors should take the time to stop and gaze up at the four dome murals and the stained glass, as well as the stenciling and wall art on all sides. Judge Svoboda recognizes that the artwork plays a significant role in how visitors approach the work that goes on in the courthouse. “When people come in, they respond to the solemnness, and for the most part they act appropriately,” she explains. “You never get desensitized to it.”
As a prosecutor, Svoboda found an extra benefit to the beautiful art in helping to put child victims at ease in a painfully difficult situation. With so much to look at, the children gain some welcome distance from the tension of the court proceedings.
In addition to the paintings, decorative touches throughout add to the beauty and maintain the historical feeling of the building. Most of the furniture is original. Likewise, the original gas light fixtures have been retrofitted for electricity. And the county took special pains to restore details like the egg-and-dart molding with help from Unterseher, as well as Miller & Sons plasterers from Olympia.
That same attention to detail drove the remodel of the second-floor law library, which has now become a third courtroom. “The way we designed that, you wouldn’t realize it wasn’t historical,” says Cox. “Even the egg-and-dart moldings and the pilasters on the railings mimic what’s on the third floor.”
And while the new courtroom currently has no paintings, Svoboda suggests it might prove the perfect place to bring some authentic Native American art to the courthouse.
The iconic clock tower adds a crowning touch to the courthouse art. When the clock recently stopped working, county officials made the decision to repair the original clock instead of replacing it with a digital version. Even though most people never see the clockworks, the painting and gilding make it a piece of art in and of itself.
Mark Cox, Director of Facilities, is passionate about preserving the art in the courthouse, including the original courthouse clock. (Photo By Juliana Wallace)
Looking forward, Cox feels a significant responsibility to maintain the building and its exceptional artwork. “The people of Grays Harbor own this building. I’m always aware of that,” he says. “I have to keep it up, because my bosses drive by here every day. Every person in a car is part owner of this building. And I think they want it nice.” The Grays Harbor County Courthouse is located at 102 West Broadway Avenue in Montesano and open to the public between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. on weekdays.