Fresno County Hall of Records
Why it's listed
Fresno County Hall of Records is a three-story government office building at Tulare and M streets in Fresno, sitting in the southeast corner of Courthouse Park. Built of reinforced concrete in 1935-1937 with a full basement, it carries Art Deco and stylized Neoclassical details, including cast aluminum spandrel panels, terra cotta medallions and a zigzag floral parapet frieze. Inside, the public corridors retain terrazzo floors, marble veneers and Art Deco light fixtures. The project grew from a 1928 grand jury warning that county records were at risk of fire, and was funded through local bonds and a Public Works Administration grant. Although Allied Architects received corporate credit, the design was by Henry P. Villalon. An annex designed by Maurice J. Metz was added in 1954-1955 and kept in harmony with the original. The building is recognized for its architecture, its terra cotta work by Gladding, McBean, and its well-preserved public spaces. A 2002-2004 restoration left it in excellent condition.
Significance in brief: The building is argued to be a masterly example of PWA Deco Moderne architecture with stylized Neoclassical elements, with superior aesthetics and workmanship. It is the work of designer Henry P. Villalon, features terra cotta bas-reliefs by Gladding, McBean, and was sensitively enlarged by architect Maurice J. Metz.
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 11000932, listed December 22, 2011. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 2281 Tulare St., Fresno |
|---|---|
| County | Fresno County |
| Listed | December 22, 2011 |
| Reference number | 11000932 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1937-1955 |
| Architect / builder | Villalon, Henry P.; Metz, Maurice J. |
| Architectural style | Modern Movement/Moderne (PWA Deco Moderne with stylized Neoclassical details) |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | In government office use; described as in excellent condition following a 2002-2004 restoration and refurbishing project. |
| Acreage | 1.1 |
| Coordinates | 36.73616, -119.78815 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
National Register listing is honorary for a privately owned home: it does not by itself restrict what an owner may do with their own money, and it does not require public access. Restrictions come from local landmark or historic-district ordinances, which are separate (how they differ).
Owner-occupied houses are not eligible for the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit, which applies to income-producing buildings, but many states offer credits for homeowners. Listing also opens the door to preservation easements and to buying a plaque. Start with what listing means for homeowners, renovating a listed house and selling one.
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 11000932.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikidata Q133260614
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.