This is a list of current and former county courthouses in the U.S. state of New Mexico. Many of the buildings are listed on the National Register of Historic Places or other listings of historic places, as noted.
New Mexico's original nine counties were established in 1852, shortly after the organization of New Mexico Territory. The earliest county courthouses were generally small one- or two-story adobe buildings, often re-purposed homes or commercial buildings. Some counties did not even have a formal courthouse, with the district court (which was only in session a few days a year) renting rooms when necessary to conduct its business. A handful of early courthouses are still standing, including notable examples in Cimarron, Lincoln, and Mesilla.
New Mexico's public buildings began to grow in scale and ambition in the 1880s, spurred by the arrival of the railroad. With skilled workers, modern building materials, and more advanced construction techniques now available, larger and grander county courthouses emulating those in the eastern states were seen as points of civic pride. During the 1880s and 1890s, large brick or stone courthouses, many with elaborate Victorian architecture, were built in 13 counties. The only one of these still standing in its original form is the Old Colfax County Courthouse in Springer, though a few others exist in ruins.
The next wave of courthouse construction occurred between 1934 and 1942, when President Franklin D. Roosevelt's New Deal programs made large amounts of federal funding available for public works projects. Thirteen counties took advantage of New Deal programs to replace their aging railroad-era courthouses, and the Eddy County Courthouse was remodeled. Courthouses from this period often featured Art Deco or Pueblo style architecture, and the majority of them remain in use.
Historically, the county courthouse housed all the administrative and judicial functions of the county government. As county governments have expanded with growing populations, many counties now have much more decentralized facilities. This list includes only buildings currently or formerly used by the New Mexico District Court.
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Map all coordinates using OpenStreetMapDownload coordinates as:
Courthouses with multiple historic designations are colored according to their highest designation within the following hierarchy.
| # Listed on the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) as a contributing property of a National Historic Landmark District |
| † Listed individually on the NRHP |
| ‡ Listed as a contributing property of an NRHP Historic District |
| ⁕ Listed individually on the State Register of Cultural Properties (SRCP) |
| ⁑ Listed as a contributing property of an SRCP Historic District |
Current
†As of 2017, the new Mora County facility is partially completed but construction is on hold due to funding problems.
Former
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References
- ^ "Dedication held in Reserve for county courthouse". Albuquerque Journal. May 18, 1969. p. D1. Retrieved May 1, 2017 – via Newspapers.com.
- "Skeen to dedicate Lincoln courthouse". Albuquerque Journal. May 7, 1965. p. A5. Retrieved April 26, 2017 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ Torrez, Robert J.; Trapp, Robert (2010). Rio Arriba: A New Mexico County. Los Ranchos, NM: Rio Grande Books. ISBN 978-1-936744-85-5. Retrieved May 8, 2017.
- Roesler, Nico (June 10, 2013). "New courthouse opens downtown". Santa Fe New Mexican. Retrieved April 25, 2017.
- ^ "Torrance builds courthouse". Albuquerque Journal. June 25, 1967. p. D12. Retrieved April 30, 2017 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "History of Bernalillo County". Bernalillo County. Retrieved April 24, 2017.
- "Landmark passing". Albuquerque Journal. June 8, 1959. p. A8. Retrieved April 28, 2017 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Work starts on razing the old court house". Roswell Daily Record. February 24, 1910. p. 4. Retrieved May 1, 2017 – via Library of Congress.
- "National Register of Historic Places Inventory-Nomination Form: Curry County Courthouse". National Park Service. 1987. Retrieved April 24, 2017.
- "National Register of Historic Places Registration Form – Doña Ana Village Historic District". National Park Service. Retrieved May 5, 2017.
- ^ "El Pasoans will attend dedication of Las Cruces courthouse". El Paso Herald-Post. February 12, 1938. p. 3. Retrieved May 5, 2017 – via Newspapers.com.
- "Making progress". Santa Fe New Mexican. August 21, 1893. p. 4. Retrieved May 2, 2017 – via Library of Congress.
- "Carrizozo to have two big field days". El Paso Herald. September 3, 1913. p. 13. Retrieved April 26, 2017 – via Newspapers.com.
- Fort, Ruth (October 31, 2013). "Mora County Notebook: Old Mora Courthouse has interesting history". Las Vegas Optic. Retrieved April 25, 2017.
- "National Register of Historic Places Inventory-Nomination Form: Los Luceros Hacienda". National Park Service. Retrieved May 8, 2017.
- ^ "A handsome court house". Santa Fe New Mexican. June 10, 1905. p. 3. Retrieved April 30, 2017 – via Library of Congress.
- "From the old to the new". Las Vegas Gazette. December 29, 1885. p. 4. Retrieved May 3, 2017 – via Library of Congress.
- ^ "Accepted: The new court house and jail". Las Vegas Daily Gazette. December 23, 1885. p. 3. Retrieved May 3, 2017 – via Library of Congress.
- ^ Vivian, Delma (January 9, 1952). "San Miguel County's 100th birthday today". Las Vegas Daily Optic. p. 1. Retrieved May 5, 2017 – via Newspapers.com.
- Ortiz, Christopher (October 17, 2016). "$1 million Corrales house on market boasts a touch of Disney (and ghost stories)". Albuquerque Business First. Retrieved April 28, 2017.
- "County records at Bernalillo may be saved". Albuquerque Journal. March 30, 1926. p. 1. Retrieved April 28, 2017 – via Newspapers.com.
- "Voracious flames make lurid the heavens above Santa Fe". Santa Fe New Mexican. February 8, 1909. p. 1. Retrieved May 1, 2017 – via Library of Congress.
- "New county court house is an ideal structure and credit to Santa Fe". Santa Fe New Mexican. May 4, 1910. p. 1. Retrieved May 1, 2017 – via Library of Congress.
- "Santa Fe County Courthouse (Former) – Santa Fe NM". The Living New Deal. Retrieved April 24, 2017.
- Hay, Kiera (November 12, 2013). "Santa Fe County contemplates new life for judicial complex". Albuquerque Journal. Retrieved April 25, 2017.
- "Elfego Baca to get relics from old Socorro courthouse". Albuquerque Journal. November 26, 1939. p. 13. Retrieved April 30, 2017 – via Newspapers.com.
- "Jurors for December term District Court". Estancia News. December 9, 1910. p. 1. Retrieved April 30, 2017 – via Library of Congress.
- "Clayton badly damaged by tornado yesterday". Albuquerque Citizen. October 19, 1908. p. 1. Retrieved May 1, 2017 – via Library of Congress.
- ^ "National Register of Historic Places Inventory – Nomination Form: Tome Jail". National Park Service. Retrieved May 5, 2017.
- ^ Pope, John W. "Dance Josefita Dance: A Short History of Valencia County Courthouses" (PDF). New Mexico Lawyer. p. 5. Retrieved May 5, 2017.
- ^ "Valencia County Courthouse is destroyed". Albuquerque Journal. August 17, 1912. p. 5. Retrieved April 28, 2017 – via Library of Congress.
- ^ "Courthouse dedication next Monday". Belen News. August 28, 1913. p. 1. Retrieved April 28, 2017 – via Library of Congress.
- "Valencia County Courthouse". Belen News. June 12, 1913. p. 1. Retrieved April 28, 2017 – via Newspapers.com.
- "Proposal to convert site to park goes to Valencia board". Albuquerque Journal. October 4, 1962. p. B10. Retrieved April 28, 2017 – via Newspapers.com.
- "New Valencia County Courthouse". Albuquerque Journal. August 12, 1960. p. A1. Retrieved April 28, 2017 – via Newspapers.com.