‘We love this old building,’ says Chris Tomford, the Historical Society president.
Merced County Supervisor Josh Pedrozo speaks to local residents and officials who gathered on Dec. 11 to celebrate the start of the Courthouse Museum restoration project.
This time capsule will be buried on site to commemorate the project. It will include official certificates, trinkets, handwritten notes, and possibly, this very edition of The Times!
Merced County Courthouse Museum Sarah Lim speaks to supporters and stakeholders during then announcement of the renovation.
Just a few weeks before the start of a year that will commemorate the 150th birthday of the old Merced County Courthouse building, local leaders and residents celebrated the kickoff of a $3.5 million project to restore the exterior of the historic landmark.
“It is a privilege to stand before you in this space — a symbol of our community heritage — as we mark the beginning of an exciting new chapter in its storied history,” said Merced County Supervisor Josh Pedrozo during a Dec. 11 ceremony near the courthouse steps.
“The building has been witness to countless events that have helped shape our local history,” Pedrozo said. “However, as with any building from this era, the structure itself has slowly deteriorated. Today we take a vital step toward preserving its legacy for future generations.”
The three-story, Italianate-style icon at 21st and N streets, in the middle of Courthouse Park, was built in 1875 by California State Capitol architect, Albert Bennett. It served as the county’s courthouse until 1950, and then it housed county administration. In the late 1970s, the building underwent its first major renovation, and then in 1983, it was reopened as a history museum
The new rehabilitation work will include repairing the cupola atop the building, and the cleaning, restoration, refinishing, and painting of all the exterior features. There will also be work to improve sidewalk safety and accessibility.
The construction project is expected to be completed by June of 2026. While the work is underway, the museum is expected to stay open.
“The renovation is long overdue, but we are excited that the building will be preserved for many generations to come,” said Chris Tomford, the president of the Merced County Historical Society. “The old courthouse has been the home of the Merced County Historical Society since the early 1980s. We love this old building as much as we love the museum and history. Under the board of directors leadership, the museum has been an important cultural institution in our community.”
Sarah Lim, the museum’s director, described the facility as “The heart of our history and our community,” and “a beacon of justice.”
The courthouse is listed on the National Parks Service’s National Register of Historic Places; therefore, the United States Secretary of the Interior Standards for Rehabilitation prescribes the procedures and methods for the rehabilitation work that will take place.
The restoration project was made possible through a $2 million federal appropriation secured by Congressman Jim Costa, along with $1 million set aside by the Board of Supervisors, $500,000 from the California Natural Resources Agency, and $50,000 from the Merced County Historical Society.
During the ceremony on Dec. 11, people in attendance were given a chance to write notes on cards that will be placed in a time capsule to be buried on site when the project is complete. Officials also plan to insert small official county memorabilia, certificates and newspaper clippings. The idea is for the capsule to be unearthed after another 100 years.
The official 150th anniversary celebration for today’s courthouse museum building is planned for this coming October.