History of the Coos County Jail
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The first jail for Coos County was erected in Empire City in the middle 1880's.  The county seat was moved from Empire City to Coquille in 1898 when the new courthouse was built.  The first modern jail was built on top of the Hall of Records in 1916.  It was used until 1981 when it was closed down by the Federal Courts based on a class action suit which became known as the Stanwood Decree. 

  Coos County's First jail                   

        In 1976 the County acquired the old Kiezer hospital in North Bend, and converted the basement into an alternative jail. This was open in 1977. Both facilities remained open together from July 1977 until February 1981. In 1981 all the inmates were moved to the North Bend facility. In 1982 the north wing of the County Annex (Keizer Hospital) was converted into a minimum Security Wing. This was designed to allow all work releases and work incentive inmates, to be kept in a less secure jail.