Ventura County Courthouse
Why it's listed
Perched on a hillside at the head of California Street in Ventura, this courthouse was completed in 1912 to designs by Los Angeles architect Albert C. Martin, an early job in his career. The original portion has two L-shaped wings joined by a central section topped with a copper-sheathed hip roof. Its front walls are faced in glazed terra-cotta, and sixteen engaged columns with tapering fluted shafts give the facade its classical character. The main entrance has a richly ornamented pediment and lacelike metal gates. Inside, a marble lobby and monumental marble stairway stand out. Later additions filled in the rear between the wings. The county had abandoned the building as unsafe, and the city offered to buy it, make it structurally sound and restore its original exterior. Supporters valued it as one of few buildings of its caliber in California, and its prominent site makes it visible across the city and from the freeway.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the building is significant for its architecture, a well-proportioned classical design with a distinctive glazed terra-cotta facade. It also notes how few buildings of this caliber remain in California. Its preservation, with the city committed to restoring the exterior, was expected to have a stimulating effect on downtown Ventura.
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 71000211, listed August 19, 1971. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 501 Poli St., Ventura |
|---|---|
| County | Ventura County |
| Listed | August 19, 1971 |
| Reference number | 71000211 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1912 |
| Architect / builder | Albert C. Martin (Los Angeles) |
| Architectural style | Classical, possibly inspired by Italian and French Renaissance architecture |
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Condition listed as fair and altered; the terra-cotta facing has deteriorated. The city planned to buy the building from the county, make it structurally sound, restore the exterior and use it as City Hall. |
| Acreage | 6 |
| Coordinates | 34.28248, -119.29312 (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 71000211.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7920372
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.