Judicial Heritage

The pair of tapestries inside the Special Proceedings Courtroom "Judicial Heritage" and "Oregon Environment" depict history and bring the light and foliage of the outdoors indoors. Flanking the spectator gallery of the courtroom, the tapestries enhance the windowless courtroom with vistas of the outdoors.

The "Judicial Heritage" tapestry presents the pre-history of the Federal judicial system in Oregon Country along the Columbia River.   That pre-history spans 56 years.  It begins with the first arrival of a non-native, Captain Robert Gray, into the mouth of the Columbia in 1792.  It ends with the Oregon Country becoming an Official Territory of the U.S. in 1848 and thereby subject to the protection of the courts.  

"Judicial Heritage" is a map of the section of the Oregon Country along the Columbia River, bordered by the Pacific Ocean on the left and the Snake River on the right.  The text of the tapestry, woven into the top border reads:  THE JUDICIAL HERITAGE OF THE OREGON COUNTRY 1792-1848.

Additional text woven into the tapestry names the earliest practitioners of justice that shaped the judicial heritage of the Oregon Country.  The names of these persons, institutions and locations appear in a color-coded list within an oval border. Listed are: CAPT. ROBERT GRAY, HUDSON'S BAY CO. & DR. JOHN McLOUGHLIN, LEWIS & CLARK, GREAT MIGRATION, MISSIONARIES, CHAMPOEG, TREATY TRIBES.  The map indicates the presence of these entities at the mouth of the Columbia River, Astoria-Vancouver-Oregon City, all along the Columbia River, by a dotted line on the map, Walla Walla, and Champoeg. Viewers can match the woven names to a colored dot on the map.  These judicial influences are outlined by Terence O'Donnell in his Introduction to the book "The First Duty."

The "Oregon Environment" tapestry shows indigenous foliage over an abstract water/wave pattern.  The plants featured, beginning on the west and progressing to the east, are: Douglas fir, thistle, mullein, big leaf maple, rabbit bush, aspen and ponderosa pine.  The tapestry is a lyrical close-up view of the foliage over water, as might have been seen by any inhabitants of the Oregon Country or as seen today.  

The pair is complimentary:  one places history in its geographical setting, the other is an escape into the light and landscape of the history. Both tapestries begin in the back west corners of the courtroom and read toward the judge at the east end of the room. Both tapestries have the same discontinuous 6" geometric borders.