Calaveras County Courthouse
Also known as: 5th County Seat - 1867-1966
Why it's listed
Built in 1867 in San Andreas, this two-story brick building served as the Calaveras County courthouse until 1966, when a new Government Center opened on the east edge of town. San Andreas was the last of five county seats the county had in its first sixteen years, as the mining population shifted. The courthouse held the courtroom, sheriff's office, county offices and a jail at the rear of the first floor, with wooden cells built of pine planking. Iron doors and shutters protected the openings, and the bricks and mortar lime were made locally. Executions took place in the jail yard, the last in 1888. The building is also known for the trial of Charles Bolton, the stagecoach highwayman "Black Bart", who was convicted here and sent to San Quentin. A separate Hall of Records was added at the front of the lot in 1893. Settling of the stone foundation has cracked some walls.
Significance in brief: The building served as the political and administrative center of Calaveras County for a full century, from 1867 to 1966. It housed the county offices, courtroom, sheriff's office and jail. It is also tied to the trial of the stagecoach robber Charles Bolton, known as "Black Bart".
Machine-generated summary. This summary was generated by a language model from the official nomination document and has not been reviewed line by line by an editor. It may contain errors. Check the source document before relying on any detail. Source: nomination document (PDF) · National Archives catalog entry. NRHP reference 72000221, listed February 28, 1972. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | Main St., San Andreas |
|---|---|
| County | Calaveras County |
| Listed | February 28, 1972 |
| Reference number | 72000221 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 19th Century |
| Areas of significance | Other, Politics/Government, Social History |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Listed in deteriorated condition: poor foundations caused settling and cracked walls, with some repairs done and more needed. Now used as a museum; the county built a new Government Center in 1966. |
| Acreage | 0.5 |
| Coordinates | 38.19671, -120.68027 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
For a publicly owned building or structure, listing mainly matters when federal funds, permits or licences are involved: projects then go through Section 106 review so effects on the property are considered. Listing also strengthens applications for preservation grants and, for leased income-producing uses, can enable the federal rehabilitation tax credit.
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.
Sources and further reading
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 72000221.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q14681682
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.