Courthouse to share stories on 150th Anniversary

 

The historic Merced County Courthouse is our greatest community landmark — in terms of architecture, by way of law, order and justice, due to local government, for its most eloquent gathering space, and as a history museum that provides a meaningful connection between past, present and future generations.  

On Saturday, Oct. 4, the Courthouse will again serve to unite local residents for its 150th Anniversary Celebration. The festivities, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., will include family activities, entertainment, performances and a special ceremony honoring the Courthouse and the building’s recent restoration. 

But it’s only fitting that inside the Courthouse Museum, there will be a new exhibit on display: “150 Years, 150 Stories.” 

“The exhibit is the culmination of our yearlong celebration,” writes Sarah Lim, the museum’s director, in an introduction to the gallery. “Through uncovering interesting facts, studying important legal cases, and collecting heartwarming personal stories, we have presented this engaging exhibit that highlights our Old Courthouse as a beacon of democracy, a repository of history, and a hub of community.”

A timeline presentation depicts the history of the Courthouse in vivid detail with vintage photos, maps and drawings, and accounts that are sure to spark surprise and interest. 

Did you know there used to be a large U.S. Flag flying over the Courthouse rooftop? It was there over the entrance from 1888 to the early 1950s, before it was replaced with the current one located at ground level in front of the stairs. Also, there used to be a low-level decorative gate that surrounded the Courthouse.

There’s also the shocking trial story of Carrie Branch, a 26-year-old Los Banos housewife who killed her husband on New Year’s Day, 1950. The facts of the case are riveting and they surely shook the community at the time. Her defense lawyer blamed physical abuse, cruelty and excessive use of alcohol by the husband for the tragedy. The jury, however, did not buy Branch’s self-defense argument, and she was found guilty of second-degree murder. 

Another, more modern happening from 1988 is displayed with a captivating picture of U.S. Vice President George Bush waving to a crowd of supporters in front of the Courthouse steps. According to the caption: “Merced was the center of national politics as the vice president rallied his presidential campaign in Courthouse Park. An estimated 4,000 potential voters gathered at the park to hear him speak.”

There was also the time, in 2024, when workers attempted to put a vintage farm tractor through the second story entrance to the museum — by way of a large crane and a strategy to swing it onto the front porch, so to speak. 

The Courthouse’s 150 years of history is impressive, but it’s the personal stories of our residents that are on display in the final gallery rooms that really bring this new exhibit home. 

Candice Adam-Medefind wrote about Courthouse Park as fertile ground for the “power of the people.”

“Back in 1970, I took part in protests to ‘Save Courthouse Park’ when the Board of Supervisors proposed turning it into a parking lot. We sang Joni Mitchell’s ‘Big Yellow Taxi’ (‘Pave paradise, put up a parking lot’) and protested at the park, convincing the Board to abandon this foolish plan.”

Stan Bohn used to work in the building in the early 1970s. And he has some stories to tell:

“I worked for the County of Merced in the Auditor/Controller’s Office in the Old Courthouse that we called a museum then, and you call it a Museum now,” he wrote for all to see. “It was a great place to work, but it was so bad there in the wintertime. They had in all the rooms – I don’t know if they’re still there or not – brass radiators for heat.  We couldn’t control the amount of heat in the wintertime, so we’d run the air conditioners, which were window mount jobs, to offset the overheating. You’d go downstairs in the basement, and you’d get the shock of your life because the maintenance people had a large fan turned on and blowing cool air onto the electrical panel on the wall, which had overheated and blown all the fuses out. They used a fan to keep it cooled down. That was the Old Courthouse.”

And retired Judge Donald Proietti recalled going to the Old Courthouse as a first-year law student facing his first-ever speeding ticket.   

“I was driving a 1972 Chevy Camaro Rally Sport on Olive Avenue near Mckee Road in Merced,” he wrote. “Merced Police Officer Guererro cited me for traveling more than the posted speed limit based on radar. 

“I didn’t know much about radar traffic enforcement, but as a first-year law student I was curious to learn. I used my limited legal research skills to see if I had a chance to beat the ticket.”

We won’t give away what happened (You have to go see the exhibit), but Proietti’s story is pretty inspirational, and it inspired a long, successful career in the legal field. 

 

Courthouse Celebration

Saturday’s event will feature an official ribbon-cutting ceremony at 11 a.m. to mark the reopening of the newly renovated Courthouse. Festivities begin at 10 a.m. with lively music from the Merced College Musical Ensemble and Cuivre Horn Choir, followed by a variety of cultural performances, including:

• Baile Folklorico

• Hmong traditional dance

• Ballico Taiko

• Merced Boots & Slippers square dance

• UC Merced lion dance

• Dancing horses

In addition to live entertainment, attendees can enjoy free games and food, antique cars and tractors, and guided museum tours showcasing the Courthouse’s history and recent renovations.

“I look forward to joining the community in celebrating the 150-year history of the Courthouse and recognizing its place as a centerpiece of our community,” said Chairman Josh Pedrozo of the Merced County Board of Supervisors. “We invite everyone to join us for what will be a memorable day celebrating our collective history.”

Said Museum Director Sarah Lim, “It is a great privilege to take part in this momentous occasion. Our Old Courthouse is a glorious symbol of our county’s fortitude and resilience.

“Restoring our handsome 150-year-old building reflects our commitment to historical preservation; presenting our Courthouse’s 150 years of history in a beautiful new museum exhibit showcases our community pride, and it is our many different personal stories that make this exhibit possible.”