Contra Costa County Courthouse Block
Also known as: Finance Building
Why it's listed
Occupying a full city block in Martinez, this complex centers on a 1901 courthouse faced in rough-cut Vermont granite, with a two-story Ionic portico reached by a monumental flight of steps. A smaller granite jail built the same year sits nearby, along with a low rounded granite curbing that surrounds the block. A concrete and steel jail annex was added in 1944. The courthouse once carried a steel dome, removed in 1957 after earthquake damage, though the roofline was unchanged. Contra Costa County built the complex after the earlier courthouse was condemned and Martinez narrowly kept its status as county seat. The buildings were meant to look permanent and imposing, and they served as the county government headquarters until the courts moved to the Hall of Records in 1933. Later the courthouse became the Finance Building. The designs came from the San Francisco firm Havens & Toepke for the courthouse and William S. Mosser for the jail. The complex is recognized for its government role and its Classical Revival architecture.
Significance in brief: The block was the center of county government from 1901 until the courts moved to the Hall of Records in 1933. It is also a very good example of early 20th century Classical Revival public architecture in the county. The courthouse was designed by Havens & Toepke and the jail by William S. Mosser.
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 89002113, listed December 28, 1989. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 625 Court St., Martinez |
|---|---|
| County | Contra Costa County |
| Listed | December 28, 1989 |
| Reference number | 89002113 |
| Resource type | District |
| Period of significance | 1901-1939 |
| Architect / builder | Havens & Toepke; Mosser, William S., & Son |
| Architectural style | Classical Revival; Beaux Arts |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Politics/Government, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | The 1901 courthouse, renamed the Finance Building in 1966, still houses county finance offices. The jail now stores county records, and its prisoners were removed after a new facility opened in 1981. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 38.01931, -122.13417 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
This is a historic district. Buildings within its boundary are either contributing (they add to the district's significance) or non-contributing. Owners of contributing income-producing buildings can claim the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit; homeowners should look at state credits. National Register districts impose no design review by themselves; a local historic district ordinance, if one exists, does (the difference explained).
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 89002113.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.