The San Bernardino County Court House, is a Classical Revival building located at 351 N. Arrowhead Ave. in

San Bernardino San Bernardino (; Spanish language, Spanish for Bernardino of Siena, "Saint Bernardino") is a city and county seat of San Bernardino County, California, United States. Located in the Inland Empire region of Southern California, the city had a ...

, is the

county courthouse A courthouse or court house is a building that is home to a local court of law and often the regional county government as well, although this is not the case in some larger cities. The term is common in North America. In most other English-spe ...

for

San Bernardino County, California San Bernardino County (), officially the County of San Bernardino, is a County (United States), county located in the Southern California, southern portion of the U.S. state of California, and is located within the Inland Empire area. As of the ...

. The courthouse was built in 1927 and has served as the center of county government since then. A 1937 welfare building, a 1940 county library, and a 1940 heating plant are also located on the courthouse grounds, which are extensively landscaped and include a fountain, sundial, plaque, and the remains of the former county courthouse. The courthouse was added to the

National Register of Historic Places The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the United States federal government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures and objects deemed worthy of preservation for their historical significance or "great artistic v ...

on January 12, 1998.

History

Because of an Earthquake that occurred in the 1920s, the Earlier County Courthouse was severely damaged and found unsafe. The County Supervisors suggested constructiong a new courthouse. After reviewing three sites and public opinions fond of the new courthouse idea, the supervisors bought a block on North Arrowhead Street and issued a $450,000 bond for the construction of the new courthouse. On November 17, 1925, R.W. Wescott was selected as contractor. Noted local architect Howard E. Jones (1885 - 1966), who had proposed multiple ideas for remodels of the original Courthouse, was responsible for design. He is said to have drawn inspiration from the 1893 World Columbian Exposition in Chicago and the recent City Beautiful movement, which sparked the popularisation of Classical Revival and other monumental Architectural styles in the United States.

Description

The building's design features classical columns spanning the second and third floors, a

parapet A parapet is a barrier that is an extension of the wall at the edge of a roof, terrace, balcony, walkway or other structure. The word comes ultimately from the Italian ''parapetto'' (''parare'' 'to cover/defend' and ''petto'' 'chest/breast'). Whe ...

along the roof line, regularly spaced windows, and extensive use of projecting blocks on the front facade. The courthouse is faced with unpainted stone and

stucco Stucco or render is a construction material made of aggregates, a binder, and water. Stucco is applied wet and hardens to a very dense solid. It is used as a decorative coating for walls and ceilings, exterior walls, and as a sculptural and a ...

, an uncommon design choice. It is the only surviving Classical Revival building in the city.

References

External links

* County courthouses in California Buildings and structures in San Bernardino, California Government buildings completed in 1927 Courthouses on the National Register of Historic Places in California National Register of Historic Places in San Bernardino County, California Neoclassical architecture in California 1927 establishments in California History of San Bernardino, California Tourist attractions in San Bernardino, California {{SanBernardinoCountyCA-NRHP-stub