Mariposa County Courthouse
Why it's listed
Built in 1854-55 at 5088 Bullion Street in Mariposa, this two-story wood-frame courthouse has served county government for more than a century and is described as the oldest courthouse in active use as a courthouse west of the Mississippi. Builders P. V. Fox and A. F. Shriver, who came to California from the Northeast during the gold rush, drew on the public buildings they remembered from home. The contract price was $9,000. Timber was cut from a pine forest within a mile of the site. The design is an early, simple Greek Revival, with corner pilasters, a plain frieze and a pedimented gable. A clock imported from England was installed in a cupola in 1866. Later additions include a brick vault and a rear building from 1934. The courthouse hosted a major 1859 mining law case settling that landowners held mineral rights as well as surface rights. It was also called a shrine to the state's bench and bar.
Significance in brief: It is described as the oldest courthouse in active use as a courthouse west of the Mississippi. Mariposa was one of California's original 27 counties, and the courthouse hosted important litigation, including a landmark 1859 mining law case on surface and mineral rights. It is also an early, simple example of Greek Revival design with Gothic Revival touches.
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 77000306, listed December 7, 1977. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 5088 Bullion St., Mariposa |
|---|---|
| County | Mariposa County |
| Listed | December 7, 1977 |
| Reference number | 77000306 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1800-1899, 1900- |
| Architect / builder | P. V. Fox & A. F. Shriver |
| Architectural style | Greek Revival (early, simple form), with Gothic Revival tower elements |
| Areas of significance | Law, Architecture |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Excellent condition, altered, on its original site; still in use as a county courthouse with county offices on the first floor. |
| Acreage | 1.4 |
| Within district | Mariposa Town Historic District |
| Coordinates | 37.48902, -119.96734 (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 77000306.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q43401498
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.