The Alamosa County Courthouse, located at 702 Fourth Street in Alamosa, was built by Works Progress Administration (WPA) workers between 1936 and 1938 to serve as an administrative and judicial headquarters for Alamosa County. The original structure included a jail, which was remodeled into office space in 1990. As of 2017, the structure still housed the county court and several government offices, but the county was considering building a new courthouse.
To Establish Justice
The city of Alamosa was incorporated in 1878, when the Denver & Rio Grande Railroad reached the site. As the major railroad hub in the central San Luis Valley, Alamosa exported agricultural products—including potatoes, wheat, alfalfa, and sheep—and quickly developed into the largest city in Conejos County. When Alamosa County was formed from parts of Costilla and Conejos Counties in 1913, Alamosa became the county seat.
As soon as the county took shape, officials discussed the need for a dedicated courthouse building. However, the county could not afford to build a proper courthouse until the 1930s, partly because of debts inherited from Conejos County and depressed economy. Looking for outside help to fund the project, county commissioners met in November 1935 and signed a project proposal with the WPA to build the courthouse. Part of President Franklin Roosevelt’s New Deal, the WPA sought to provide economic relief during the Great Depression through federal investment in local projects. The courthouse was one of the largest projects completed by the WPA in Alamosa County.
Construction on the courthouse began in 1936. The corner of San Juan and Fourth Streets was chosen due to its proximity to other public sites, including the new post office, Denver & Rio Grande Depot, several churches, and the business district along Main Street (Fifth Street). The two-storied, U-shaped, three-building complex was designed by architect George C. Emery to embody the Mission/Spanish Colonial Revival style of architecture. The Mission style is somewhat common throughout the southwestern United States, and the style was chosen to reflect the Hispanic heritage of the San Luis Valley. The complex contained about 19,500 square feet and included a central courtyard that also contained elements of Spanish Colonial design.
The courthouse consisted of a concrete foundation, brick walls, and a gabled ceramic tile roof. Locally hired WPA workers reconditioned a brick kiln north of Alamosa to produce the 450,000 bricks needed for the courthouse. The central structure was completed in May 1937, and county officials moved into the new complex in 1937–38. The jail was completed in July 1938 and lifted to the second floor of the structure. The complex cost Alamosa County $31,149, with the WPA contributing an additional $39,712.
Renovation and Preservation
The courthouse underwent interior renovations during the 1980s and 1990s, but the county was careful not to disturb its historic architectural features. Ceilings were lowered and walls were added to increase office space in 1981. After a large new county jail was completed south of town in the 1980s, the courthouse jail was remodeled in 1990 and converted into county offices and a law library. In 1991–92, the second story of the courthouse was remodeled into a conference center. Other recent restoration projects included replacing portions of the leaky roof, re-pointing brickwork, restoring windows, increasing accessibility for disabled patrons, and adding storm windows.
In 1995 the courthouse was listed in the National Register of Historic Places because of its association with Depression-era WPA projects, as well as its significance as a superb example of the Mission architectural style.
Often called the Alamosa Combined Court, the Alamosa County Courthouse is still used today and houses several county offices. In December 2017, county commissioners approved a 2018 budget that includes a significant expansion of the courthouse and jail.