Sacramento First Courthouse Explained

Former California State Capitol
Sacramento First Courthouse
Location:651 I Street, Sacramento, California
(7th Street and I Street)
Coordinates:38.5825°N -121.497°W
Built:1851, 1854
Architect:Greek Revival
Architecture:David Farquharson
Designation1 Date:January 11, 1974
Designation1:California
Designation1 Number:869

Sacramento First Courthouse also, Former California State Capitol site, is historical site in Sacramento, California. The Courthouse was also the first and second California State Capitol. The site is California Historical Landmark No. 869, registered on January 11, 1974. At the northwest corner of 7th Street and I Street, 651 I Street, Sacramento was a building that served as California's State Capitol. The first period was January 16, 1852 to May 4, 1852, and the second period was from March 1, 1854, to May 15, 1854, with the California State Legislature third and fifth sessions. The 651 I Street building was the Sacramento County courthouse. The site of former California State Capitol - Sacramento County courthouse is now the Main Sacramento County Jail built in 1989. A California Historical marker was place at the site in 2007 by California State Parks working the Sacramento Trust for Historic Preservation.[1] [2]

History

The Sacramento First Courthouse was built in 1851. In 1852 the State Capitol moved to 7th Street and I Street Courthouse in Sacramento. The City of Sacramento offered the used of space in the Sacramento County's courthouse for the State Capitol. On July 13, 1854, the old wooden courthouse and parts of Sacramento burnt to the ground in large fire.

On the site of the burnt Courthouse, a new Sacramento County Courthouse was built by David Farquharson (1817-1906) in just 6 months. The new building was the State Capitol from March 1, 1854, to May 15, 1854, with large Greek columns in the front. The new Sacramento County Courthouse construction started September 1854 and was completed in January 1855. In 1870 the city raised the Sacramento County Courthouse as part of program to stop flooding from the American River and Sacramento River. Workers used 400 jack screws to raises the building. Turton and Knox Company was awarded the contact to raise the building 15 feet. The city had a 13-year program in the 1860s and 1870s, to raise the buildings and streets in Sacramento to stop the flooding problem in the city.[3] [4]

In 1910, a third 651 I Street courthouse was built of stone. The 1910 Sacramento Courthouse was a three-story granite and marble building and was also the Sacramento County offices. The 1910 Sacramento Courthouse was abandoned in 1965, when the county moved to a modern building. The 1910 building was demolished in 1970, and a new County jail opened on the site in 1989.[5] [6]

Gordon D. Schaber Sacramento County Courthouse was built in 1965 at 720 9th Street, Sacramento and is the current County courthose.[7]

California State Capitols

California State Capitols:[3] [8]

See also

Notes and References

  1. Web site: CHL # 869 State Capitols Site Sacramento. www.californiahistoricallandmarks.com.
  2. Web site: Strategies for Success web.pdf . 2013 . Sacramento County Sheriff's Department . December 29, 2022.
  3. https://www.library.ca.gov/california-history/previous-ca-capitals/ California State Capitol library.ca.gov
  4. Web site: Site of First and Second State Capitols at Sacramento Historical Marker. www.hmdb.org.
  5. https://www.cschs.org/history/california-county-courthouses-alphabetical/sacramento-county/ 1910 Sacramento Courthouse, cschs.org
  6. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wDVKP5vHgEM Raising Sacramento’s County Courthouse in 1870 youtube.com
  7. https://www.saccourt.ca.gov/general/virtual-courthouse/downtown/downtown.aspx Gordon D. Schaber Sacramento County Courthouse saccourt.ca.gov
  8. https://capitolmuseum.ca.gov/special/californiastatecapitol/the-floating-capital/ The Floating Capital, capitolmuseum.ca.gov
  9. https://pcad.lib.washington.edu/building/20577/ Sacramento County, washington.edu
  10. https://pcad.lib.washington.edu/building/20558/ Vallejo Capitol, washington.edu
  11. https://pcad.lib.washington.edu/building/20333/ Merchants Exchange Building San Francisco, washington.edu