Original Fresno County Courthouse - Millerton, California
Posted by: 
fresgo
N 36° 59.773 W 119° 41.855
11S E 259943 N 4097854
The 1867 Fresno County Courthouse located at Millerton Lake State Recreation Area.
Waymark Code: WMF5E9
Location: California, United States
Date Posted: 08/26/2012
Views: 2
The first "permanent" Fresno County Courthouse was constructed in 1866 at Millerton, California. Fresno County was established in 1856 with the County seat located at Millerton in the Sierra Mountain Foothills along the San Joaquin River. The town was one mile downstream from an Army outpost known as Fort Miller.
The Courthouse was built by Charles Converse at a cost of 17,000 dollars. Opened in 1867, the building housed all county offices and the county jail. The second floor included one courtroom, judge's chamber, and jury room. Ironically Converse was the first person placed in the Jail he built, after he was charged with murder- the case was eventually dismissed.
Millerton served as County Seat until 1874 when government functions were transferred to Fresno. The courthouse was then used as a school, town hall, and later a private residence. For much of its life the building was vacant - but owners had the foresight to keep an important memento of early Fresno County History.
In 1940 the US government began construction of Friant Dam which required the removal of the former courthouse. The tedious process of taking the building down brick by brick began. In 1944 as Millerton Lake flooded the former Millerton town site the courthouse began its new life as a museum on Mariner's Point overlooking the new Lake and Dam. Source: Clough and Secrest, Fresno County - The Pioneer Years, 1984.