Eddy
County Courthouse HistoryReturn
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Field notes assembled and
collected from the references indicated at the end of this page by: Bob
Stockwell, former Co Manager.
Beginning January 1939,
information by Carlsbad Current-Argus writer Stella Davis who references
Bob Stockwell as her source.
January 2, 1891 -
Eddy County Commissioners met and set the date for going over plans and
specifications for a new courthouse and jail.(20)
February 9, 1891 -
County Commissioners met and set the maximum amount of $30,000 for a new
courthouse and jail, to include architect fees. (21,132)
August 3, 1891 - The
Witt Brothers and the Pauley Jail Building Manufacturing Company received
the contract to build the courthouse and jail. The exterior was to
be of dark brick, made locally. The courthouse maximum cost was set
by the commissioners at $30,000 and was a bond issue. Although the
contract was let on this day, the Commissioners could not agree on a location.
(1)
November 16, 1891
- Although the commissioners still could not settle on a site for the courthouse,
they accepted a deed to all of Block "3" from Mr. C.B. Eddy, President
of the Pecos Valley Town Company. The land is where the courthouse
stands today, 100 North Canal Street, Carlsbad, NM. There was no
cost to the county for this land. (1, 6, 33)
1891
- Construction began on the courthouse. The Witt Brothers got
the bid to build. (1) Cost was $21,000 for the courthouse portion
of the wing. The courthouse was to be the 1891 Victorian Style. (5)
June 25, 1892 - County
officials moved into the new courthouse. There were already prisoners
in its jail. (1)
October 8, 1907 -
The County Commission discussed the building of a new jail, which had been
recommended by the district judge and several recent grand juries.
The motion carried by 2 to 1 to proceed with the idea of building a new
county jail. (138)
November 8, 1907 -
The Commission met to consider bids for the building of a new jail.
No positive action was taken at this meeting. (139)
August 9, 1909 - The
County Commission voted to build a concrete walk around the courthouse
and a concrete driveway out of the courthouse. (39)
January 5, 1910 -
The Commission voted to appropriate funds for a bandstand to be built on
the courthouse lawn in the amount of $70. (40) On Sunday afternoons,
citizens would gather on the lawn to hear music from local musicians or
the fire department band. (8)
June 6, 1910 - The
Commission approved the contract with Carlsbad Plumbing Company to hook
up all plumbing, sewer and sanitation lines for the courthouse and jail.
(125)
August 23, 1913 -
A contract was awarded to Campbell Brothers for the construction of an
"East Wing" for $38,212. The exterior of the new addition was a lighter
colored brick designed with more modern architectural features. The
ornate window treatment and the steeple effect were eliminated from the
East Wing addition. (2, 233)
December 11, 1913
- The Commission approved an offer by The Public Utility Company
to install electric lights in the new East Wing. (236)
April 8, 1914 - The
Commission approved a bid by Barry Engineering Co of El Paso for $2,457
to do the plumbing and heating for the East Wing. (238)
April 21, 1914 - The
Commission voted an additional $621 to have a smoke stack put on the courthouse.
(239)
August 4, 1914 - Architect
I.H. Rapp advised the Commission that the new East Wing was completed.
(1, 2, 6, 241)
1914
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January 26, 1938 - A
petition with 258 signatures was submitted to the Commission requesting
to call a special election on Feb 19, 1938, to build a courthouse and jail
not to exceed $190,000. (46)
April 6, 1938 - The
Commission approved the sale and removal of salvage of the old east wing
of the courthouse and jail to Arnold Transfer Co of Carlsbad for $299.
(54)
August 19, 1938 -
The County entered into an agreement with the Federal Emergency Administration
of Public Works, known as the W.P.A., to remodel the courthouse and jail.
(55) WPA said it would provide up to $112,500 providing they approved
all plans and expenditures. (3)
September 6, 1938
- A motion was passed to pay Architect R.W. Vorhees extra compensation
for extra work on the courthouse plans, as he changed the plans from the
original plans to a Santa Fe style building. The Lembke Construction Co
of Albuquerque, NM, was awarded the contract, which entailed the use of
W.P.A. labor. The construction cost was $184,000. (57)
January 1939 - The
commission approved a change order authorizing terrazzo floors - instead
of the original cement floors - in several areas of the courthouse, including
the Justice of the Peace Office. Throughout the construction process,
numerous change orders were approved. Among the changes was a 15-bed
dormitory built on the fourth floor for court juries. (3)
November 6, 1939 -
This alteration converted the structure to early Spanish architecture.
This project was completed on November 6, 1939. The 1891 Victorian
style portion of the County Courthouse was removed during this 1939 remodeling.
(2, 6)
1939
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1940 - In the 1940s,
cattle brands of the regions and county were etched onto the west door
of the courthouse. (3)
1950 - During the
early 1950s, the courthouse parking lot on the north side of the courthouse
was enlarged, and later during that decade, the courthouse parking lot
was enlarged to accommodate employees. (3)
1953 - In 1953, an
air conditioning system was installed in the courthouse and jail for $28,100.
By the end of the decade, a 90mm aircraft gun was installed on the south
lawn to commemorate county residents lost in battle. (3)
September 1959 -
The commission gave its approval for the US Border Patrol to occupy office
space in the courthouse. That same year, local architect Art Gorrell
and Miles Brittle met with the commission to present final specifications
for the construction of a juvenile detention center wing to be added to
the north side of the east wing of the facility. (3)
May 2, 1960 - The
new juvenile wing was completed by Paul Bates Construction Company with
a bid of $52,300. That same year, an elevator was installed for a
cost of $11,823. (3)
July 1965 - The jail
area in the east wing of the courthouse was remodeled at a cost of $133,595.
(3)
1968 - New Mexico
State Police moved into renovated offices that had formerly served as the
Sheriff's garage. The US Border Patrol was asked to move out. (3)
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April 1969 -
The county's Civil Defense Director asked for more office space and was
given the US Border Patrol's previous space, but had to share it with US
Veterans Service two days a week. (3)
1974 - Art
Gorrell drew up specifications for a three phase courthouse remodeling
project. The first phase would be to install a new five stop elevator.
The second phase involved the remodeling of the Sheriff's living quarters,
and the last phase would be the remodeling of the County Health Office
in the basement. (3)
May 1975 - The $448,644
project was completed. Funding for the renovation came from a Law
Enforcement Assistance Administration grant and US General Revenue Sharing
Funds. (3)
1977 - The commission
approved the remodeling of the old health office following their moving
to new quarters on West Stevens Street. Administration personnel
filled the vacated offices. (3)
December 1978 - Fifth
Judicial District Judge Harvey Fort moved his office to the fourth floor
of the courthouse, which had recently been occupied by the district attorney.
(3)
April 1979
- The County Commission asked then-Sheriff Tom Granger to vacate the sheriff's
family living quarters in the courthouse basement. Over the years,
the family quarters had been home to a number of sheriffs and their families.
The county retained the kitchen area in order to continue feeding prisoners
in the jail upstairs. (3)
Early 1980s - The
county installed a new air conditioner compressor, a new roof, a minor
remodeling of the sheriff's offices, and exterior work on the building.
(3)
1989 - The county
moved the law library out to the Jackson Building at 302 N Main Street.
(3)
May 1990 - The commission
awarded the low bid of $178,677 to Courson Construction to remodel the
second and third floors. The Court Clerk moved to the second floor
and the County Treasurer moved to the former law library in the basement.
A new office for a second judge was created on the third floor, along with
a conference room for attorneys and their clients. A holding cell
for prisoners was also created.
The judges'
offices were moved from the fourth floor to the new offices on the third
floor. The Juvenile Probation Officer moved from the basement to
the fourth floor. (3)
November 1992 - With
more computerization in the courthouse, the commission approved running
additional and larger electrical outlets to the south side of the courthouse.
(3)
1993 - By 1993, it
became evident to county officials that the old, dark jail was not meeting
the county's needs. If the county continued to drag its feet in addressing
the jail conditions, it faced a strong possibility that the federal government
would step in and order the county to build a new jail at a prohibitive
cost.
The County
Commission hired H.B. Construction of Albuquerque built a new jail across
the street at a cost of $2.6 million. The commission hired the same
construction company to build new sheriff's offices next to the jail for
$768,416. (3)
1995 - Durham and
Associates were hired to provide schematic designs and design development
for the old vacated jail in the west wing of the courthouse. Durham
gave a replacement cost estimate of $5.6 million and a renovation cost
of $2.6 million.
In the
November 1995 General Election, the county put a bond issue on the ballot
that would have generated the needed income to pay for the remodeling.
The measure failed by a vote of 9,129 against and 6,173 for. (3)
1998 - The county
made another attempt to get the bond for the remodeling passed. This
time the initiative was successful, and renovation of the courthouse began
in 2001. (3)
January 2002 - The
remodeling was completed. Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) compliance
was resolved as well as upgrading plumbing, electricity and heating/air
conditioning. Another courtroom and a secured, north entrance was
added.
A water
well, discovered under the parking lot, was converted to a Pueblo-styled
portico with a simulated river. This area was named Pioneer Plaza.
Engraved pavers with pioneer family names were cemented around perimeter
of the Plaza.
The Bill
Mitchell and Beauford families donated an 1892 red sandstone
cornerstone acquired during demolition in 1938 and salvaged by their grandfather,
Leonard Beauford. The cornerstone was permanently affixed to the
cement floor in the Plaza near the northeast wall.
February 2002
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References
1. History of Eddy County:
a. Keleher, William
A., The Fabulous Frontier, Twelve New Mexico Items, Santa Fe, NM,
The Rydal Press, c1945.
b. Myers, Lee,
The
Pearl of the Pecos; the Story of the Establishment of Eddy, New Mexico
and Irrigation of the Lower Pecos River of New Mexico Compiled from Eddy
Newspapers between October 12, 1889 and October 23, 1897. Compilation
and introduction written over a 6-year period, 1965-1970, copyright 1974
by Lee Myers.
c. Pageant of Progress,
presented by the Carlsbad Diamond Jubilee, Inc., commemorating the 75th
anniversary of Carlsbad, NM, August 5-10, 1963, written and produced by
Joseph T. Newlin. The script is based on local history supplied by
Doris Gregory of the Scenaio Committee, "Current-Argus", and Carlsbad Public
Library. Printed by Charlie Gregory, Carlsbad, NM.
d. Pearce, T.M., ed.
New
Mexico Place Names; A Geographical Dictionary. Albuquerque, University
of New Mexico Press, c1965.
e. The Pecos River
Commission of New Mexico and Texas; a Report of a Decade of Progress,
1950-1960. Compiled under the direction of the Pecos River Commission,
Carlsbad, NM, by Robert T. Lingle and Dee Linford, Santa Fe, NM.
The Rydal Press, 1961.
f. Schroeder,
Albert H. and Dan S. Matson. A Colony on the Move; Gaspar Castano
de Sosa's Journal, 1590-1591. The School of American Research,
1965. (Printed by Alphabet Printing Co, Salt Lake City.)
g. Terrell, John
Upton, Journey Into Darkness. New York, Wm. Morrow, 1962.
2. A four phase history of the Eddy
County Courthouse which has been recorded with the county clerk for several
years. It is not known who compiled the history or from what references
the material was taken. However, it appears to be correct from information
found in county commission minutes and from statements made by persons
or employees who were here at the time.
3. Article in "Current-Argus" March
8, 2002 edition of 1992 by Stella Davis.
5. Article in "Our Town" edition
of 1992, dated March 29, 1992 by Donia Dunlap.
6. Report by the U.S. Department
of the Interior, National Parks Service, "National Register of Historic
Places, Inventory Nomination Form", on NPS Form 10-900-a (3-82), which
was received by Eddy County from NPS on March 14, 1994.
8. Article taken from the Carlsbad
Current-Argus, dated August 13, 1988, and written by Nancy Walker, Chairman
of the Centennial Steering Committee for the City of Carlsbad.
Note:
The following references are all taken from the Eddy County Board of Commissioners'
minutes, which are of record in the Eddy County Clerk's Office. Any
reference that indicates a date only represents the county commissioner
minutes of that date.
20. January 2, 1891.
21. February 9, 1891.
33. November 16, 1891.
39. August 9, 1909.
40. January 5, 1910.
46. January 26, 1938.
54. April 6, 1938.
55. August 19, 1938.
57. September 6, 1938.
132. February 9, 1891.
138. October 8, 1907.
139. November 8, 1907.
233. August 23, 1913.
236. December 11, 1913.
239. April 21, 1914.
241. August 4, 1914.