San Jose was the location of California's first state capital.
- only two years, 1849 to 1851
Initial Senate sessions had to be held in a private residence
In 1866, Valley residents began erecting this Neo-Classical monument in an attempt to persuade the California government to re-locate the state capital to San Jose.
A contest for the building's design resulted in Levi I. Goodrich's architectural plans being chosen in 1860.
Begun in 1866 and completed by January 1, 1868 (at a cost of $200,000)
Didn’t convince the legislators to return
Today it serves as one of the numerous Superior Court of California facilities in Santa Clara County.
The Hall of Records was built adjacent to the Old Courthouse in 1893, and housed the offices of the county clerk, treasurer, auditor, surveyor, recorder and superintendent of schools.
Many old buildings were lost in the 1960's, and the Hall of Records went under the wrecker's ball in November 1966.
-hazard risk
- not worth saving
First Woman Lawyer in the State
Clara Foltz, the first woman ever admitted to the bar in California (in 1878) was a San Jose housewife and mother of five who went on to practice law in San Jose.
Foltz drafted a bill to change the law's wording for becoming an attorney from being just for "white males" to being "any citizen or person".
Foltz is also credited with writing the law that gave women the right to vote in 1911.
Outlaws in the Old Courthouse
Tiburcio Vasquez
convicted in Santa Clara County (after the trial was moved from Southern California) of leading a Wild West-style gang involving stage-coach holdups and murderous raids.
He was executed here for murder in 1875. Vasquez had a reputation as a gallant lady's man, and while on trial in San Jose, he received messages of sympathy, as well as candy and flowers, from women he scarcely knew or he had never met.
Courthouse Fire
Fire proved to be a bigger threat early on than earthquakes, and on May 18, 1931, a fire quickly spread through the courthouse, causing extensive damage including the loss of the dome.
The fire actually melted the dome to the point that the covering layer of copper dripped down the front steps of the building.
The dome, which had 172 steps to the iron-railed observation deck at the top, was no more. When the courthouse was restored in 1932 it was without the dome, but with the addition of a third floor and Spanish tile roof.
-At this time the portico was removed, and the columns recessed into the facade.
-Above the main entrance, the original frieze was inscribed with the motto "Justitia Dedicate" (Dedicated to Justice). This was replaced with the words "Santa Clara County Courthouse" after the post-fire repairs.
McKinley's Cannon
The bronze cannon on the bottom step of the McKinley monument (erected after President McKinley spoke in the St. James Park - see section on St. James Park, above) has played a part in the history of the Old Courthouse.
A Halloween "prank" in 1932 resulted in the cannon in the park being loaded with gun-powder and the fuse being lit.
The resulting explosion blew out the windows of the Santa Clara County Courthouse across the street.
It is believed that the current "cement plug" in the cannon was placed there in the hope of deterring any similar pranks in the future.
3 opportunities and 3 challenges the sites provide
Opportunities
-Use the projector onto the courthouse from the McKinleys Cannon as an reenactment of the 1932 prank (interactive)
-use projector on church of Christ scientist to show off its architecture
-open lot behind church of Christ scientist
Challenges
-Historic building
your list of opportunities may be too specific. I think that the "open lot behind church of Christ Scientist" is the best opportunity. What could that space become? It used to be the home of the old Lecther Garage, that once became the Oasis club, that was just recently demolished. If you look at the Arborist Review PDF you will see the Oasis club still standing.
ReplyDeleteWe should really narrow down the Opportunities and Challenges to there broadest sense.