Portland architect Francis Fassett designed a new courthouse and jail built in 1885. The courthouse had fireproof rooms and eventually held records from three counties, and its law library was considered the finest east of Portland. In 1930, a fire destroyed most of the building, including the law library, and two firemen were killed when the brick belfry tower collapsed. The present courthouse, dating from about 1939, was built on the same foundation and incorporates part of the 1885 structure. The county jail was first occupied in 1886 by Sheriff Dorephus Fields and his family; its two-story living quarters had 11 finished rooms, and at the rear were 16 jail cells, 12 for criminals and 4 for poor debtors. The massive masonry jail was regarded as very secure and remained in use until 1979.