OpenStreetMap (new tab)

Google Map (new tab)

Google Streetview (new tab)

Overview

The Sacramento County Courthouse #2 was in operation at the corner of K and 7th Streets in 04/1859. (See "Assessor's Notice," [classified advertisement],Sacramento Daily Union, vol. 17, no. 2510, 04/13/1859, p. 4.) David Farquharson (1817-1906) was the architect. His Greek Revival building served as the State Capitol of CA for 13 years from 1856 until 1869. The courts in Sacramento County utilized the facility until 1909.

Building History

A fire destroyed the previous courthouse on 07/13/1854. A rapid building competition for a new courthouse/jail took place during the summer, with David Farquharson winning. The construction process moved very quickly and the new load-bearing masonry building opened on 01/01/1855. As noted by architectural historian Anne Bloomfield, the Sacramento County Courthouse resembled the Maison Carrée in Nîmes, France, a key, highly intact Roman Classical monument, well-known to architects in the US. (See Anne Bloomfield, "David Farquharson: Pioneer California Architect," California History, vol. 59, no. 1, Spring 1980, p. 18.)

Building Notes

State of CA Legislature rented the courthouse between 1856 and 1869 for use as its capitol building. It paid $12,000 in 1869 in rent to the Sacramento County.

Demolition

The grand Greek Revival courthouse was razed in 1909. Another courthouse replaced it on the same site.

PCAD id: 20577