Deschutes

Formed December 13, 1916 (36^th county)

Deschutes County (198,256), Bend (99,213)

The masonry Art Deco style courthouse was erected in 1940.  The structure is on Northwest Bond Street between Wall Street and Greenwood Avenue.  United States Highway 97 is three blocks to the east.  Truman E. Phillips is the architect.  A Justice Building was added in 1978.  The county was formed from Crook County on December 13, 1916 as the 36^th and last county.  It is named for the river which is French for “river of the falls.”  Bend is named for its location on the river.  Bend has always been the county seat. 

Deschutes County government consists of a sheriff and 3 Commissioners.  Six District Court Judges serve Deschutes County.  Deschutes County is in central Oregon.  Eugene, Oregon is west and Portland, Oregon is northwest of the county.  The county center is 5.3 miles East of Bend.  The county is surrounded clockwise by Jefferson, Crook, Harney, Lake, Klamath, Lane, and Linn counties. 

The area of the county is 3018 square miles.  It is 11 out of 36 in the state.  It ranks 7 out of 36 in population in the state.  It has a density of 65.7 persons per square mile making it 11 out of 36 in the state.  Deschutes County has 69.6% of its population in its incorporated areas.  United States Highway 20 enters the county from Lake County, southeast, and exits into Jefferson County, northwest.  United States Highway 97 passes north to south from Jefferson County to Klamath County.  The county resembles a multi-level chair.  Bend is in the northwest quarter of the county.  Bend is the county seat and the largest city.  It is 50.0% of the county population.  The county is pronounced DES-SHOOTZ.  This county is in the Bend Metropolitan Statistical Area.

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