Mariposa County Courthouse, California

Mariposa County Courthouse

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Mariposa County Courthouse 1854 Built in 1854, this fine early Greek Revival building is the oldest courthouse in continuous use west of the Rockies.
Mariposa County Courthouse (No. 670 California Historical Landmark)

This historic courthouse is the oldest one in continuous use since 1854.

The Mariposa County Courthouse is the oldest courthouse in California and the oldest one west of the Rocky Mountains that is still being used. Since 1851, when Mariposa was a vibrant trading center for miners, the courthouse was the place where landmark mining laws were tried, and consequently, set legal precedent for federal mining law.

The four walls enclosing the historic courtroom on the second floor vibrated with the sounds of Colonel John Fremont trying his case for ownership of the Mexican land grant Rancho las Mariposas and win. Attorneys argued cases of murder, divorce, robbery, mining rights, fraud and property disputes. Mariposa's historic courthouse served nearly one-fifth of all California residents, since the county at that time also encompassed the current counties of Merced, Mono, San Benito, Madera, Fresno, Kings, Tulare, Inyo, Kern and parts of Ventura.

The Greek Revival style courthouse was constructed in 1854, using lumber from nearby forests. The building is constructed by using the interlocking mortise and tenon construction method and held in place with wooden pegs. The original chairs and benches are still being used inside the simply decorated courtroom on the second floor. Modern conveniences, such as electric lights, computers and climate control systems are hidden from view. The tower clock still in work order has three weights that need to be reset every three days to keep it running.

The courthouse is located at 10th and Bullion streets in the city of Mariposa.

Information about Mariposa County Courthouse Historic District is also located at Mariposa County

Built in 1854, the Mariposa County Courthouse is the oldest superior courthouse west of the Mississippi and the oldest courthouse in continuous use west of the Rockies. Feel free to take a peek inside during normal business hours. (Naturally, security checks and rules of appropriate behavior are in effect.) Or take a tour on the weekend with one of our knowledgeable guides. Free to the public.

From May until October, tours are conducted Saturdays 10:00 a.m. - 8:00 p.m., and Sundays 10:00 - 4:00 p.m. Free to the public. Donations welcome. Please contact the Mariposa County Visitors Center for more information or to schedule large group tours: (209) 966-7081.

The Courthouse building is open and in use on normal business days all year. Feel free to take a peek inside at these times. Security checks and rules of appropriate behavior are in effect for entrance into the courtroom. The outside of the Courthouse and its surrounding lawn and trees provide a favorite subject for the camera at all seasons.

"The timbers that frame the building inside were hand hewn, and they're joined together by mortice and tennon, and wooden pegs that hold it all together,

Many of the items in the courtroom are still the originals from 1854, including the judge's bench and also the juror's chairs.

NO. 670 MARIPOSA COUNTY COURTHOUSE - This mortise-and-tenon Greek Revival courthouse, erected in 1854, is California's oldest court of law and has served continuously as the seat of county government since 1854. During the 19th century, landmark mining cases setting legal precedent were tried here, and much United States mining law is based on decisions emanating from this historic courthouse.
Location: 10th and Bullion Sts, Mariposa
Listed on the National Register of Historic Places: NPS-91000560

The oldest working Superior Court west of the Mississippi, Mariposa County Court House, was built in 1854. While cases today range from fishing without a license to ignoring a stop sign (there are no stop lights in the county), throughout its 150+ year history the court house has meted justice for countless bar room brawls, drunken card games and fights that all too often ended in murder. During its early days when crime was common, Mariposa County had a reputation for sending its convicts to jail rather than hanging them. The Court House is located at 5088 Bullion St., Mariposa, CA 95338.
The courthouse, built in 1856, is the second oldest in the state,
Trinity County is a large, rugged and mountainous, heavily forested county located in the northwestern portion of the U.S. state of California, along the Trinity River and within the Salmon/Klamath Mountains. It covers an area of over two million acres (8,000 kmē), and as of the 2010 census its population was 13,786, up from 13,022 at the 2000 census. The county seat and largest town is Weaverville, with a population of approximately 3,500 people.
Trinity County has no traffic lights, freeways, parking meters, or incorporated cities. Trinity County did not have a chain store or restaurant until 1999, when Burger King, Movie Gallery (closed), Longs Drugs (now CVS/pharmacy), and Subway opened for business.
Weaverville, the county seat, has the distinction of housing some of California's oldest buildings. The courthouse, built in 1856, is the second oldest in the state, and the Weaverville Drug Store has been filling prescriptions since 1852. The Joss House is an historic Taoist temple built in 1873.