Monterey County Courthouse

The Monterey County Court House is the court house for Monterey County in Salinas, California, United States.

Monterey County Court House
Monterey County Court House viewed from the southeast
Monterey County Courthouse is located in California
Monterey County Courthouse
Monterey County Courthouse is located in the United States
Monterey County Courthouse
Location240 Church St., Salinas, California
Coordinates36°40′25″N 121°39′26″W
Area1.3 acres (0.53 ha)
Built1878
ArchitectRobert Stanton
SculptorJoseph Jacinto Mora
Architectural styleModern Movement, WPA Modern
Demolished1937
Restored1937
NRHP reference No.08000878[1]
Added to NRHPJanuary 8, 2009

History
Monterey County Court House (1878)

The first Monterey County Court House was built in 1878, designed by Jacob Lenez, Jr., which was a brick Victorian building. The courthouse remained in use until 1937, when it was demolished. Today a courtyard, lily pond, and commemorative sculpture occupy the site.[2][3][4]

The second court house was designed by local architect Robert Stanton in the Art Moderne or WPA Moderne style, and was built in 1937 using funds provided by the Works Progress Administration (WPA). The courthouse features extensive sculpture by Joseph Jacinto Mora. It is currently used by the Monterey County Superior Court.

Stanton designed the courthouse to be built around the previous courthouse leaving a landscaped courtyard space surrounded by an arcade. The two and three story concrete structure cost $450,000, with two stories in concrete and a glass-and-steel third floor the rear of the complex. It is extensively embellished by Mora's sculpture and reliefs, with comparatively sober detailing around the perimeter and more extensive decoration on the courtyard elevations, with customized relief friezes at the tops of the fluted rectangular arcade columns. Small bronze castings decorate the doors and a large freestanding Mora sculpture in travertine forms the centerpiece of the courtyard. Subjects were drawn from the history of California. There are a total of 62 busts of individuals from California history in the window spandrels, and five travertine reliefs of scenes from Monterey County history.[5]

The courthouse was placed on the National Register of Historic Places on January 8, 2009.[1]

  • Center courtyard Mora sculpture after renovations
    Center courtyard Mora sculpture after renovations
  • Base of Mora sculpture
    Base of Mora sculpture
  • Jo Mora art
    Jo Mora art
  • Center courtyard
    Center courtyard
  • Completed renovations
    Completed renovations
  • Monterey County District Attorney's Office
    Monterey County District Attorney's Office

References
  1. "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. July 9, 2010.
  2. Renison and Farley (1894). Resources of Monterey County Midwinter Fair Edition. p. 4. Retrieved 2023-01-05. {{cite book}}: |work= ignored (help)
  3. "History of The Court". Monterey Courts. Retrieved 2023-01-05.
  4. "Monterey County". www.courthouses.co. Retrieved 2023-01-05.
  5. Hiller, Peter (November 2007). "National Register of Historic Places Registration Form: Monterey County Court House". National Park Service. Retrieved 9 May 2012.

Further reading
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