Historic courthouse museum in Merced County to undergo renovation, preserving its legacy

Merced County’s Courthouse Museum will undergo a multi-million dollar renovation to restore parts of the building that have deteriorated over the years.

The work to maintain the building’s structural integrity and restore the deteriorating exterior of the building will be funded by $2 million in federal money, along with $1 million from the Merced County Board of Supervisors, $50,000 from the Merced County Historical Society and $500,000 from the California Natural Resources Agency.

Merced community members, the Merced County Historical Society, law enforcement and elected leaders gathered in front of the museum steps Wednesday during a ceremony celebrating the start of the renovation process.

Merced County District 2 Supervisor Josh Pedrozo called it a privilege to stand before the crowd gathered to mark the beginning of the project.

“Monuments serve as powerful reminders of our shared history and can help foster a sense of pride, identity and connection within a community,” said Pedrozo. “They preserve the stories of the past, highlight significant events or figures, and often spark important conversations about progress, change and lessons learned.”

Merced County Historical Society President Chis Tomford, said the renovation is long overdue. Tomford called the museum an important cultural institution in the community. Providing many educational programs, the museum aims to encourage the love and understanding of local history, according to Tomford.

Tomford said the Merced County Historical Society works hard to preserve the history of Merced County. Along with collecting artifacts and fundraising, the role of a historical society is to make sure those things that make Merced special remain in place and are accessible to the community, he said.

“This is a real linchpin of our community and it’s important that we take care of it and continue to have it be in this kind of condition or better for our future generations,” said Tomford.

Director of the Merced County Courthouse Museum Sarah Lim, said the exterior renovation will begin next month and the process is expected to take more than 400 days. The museum’s normal operating hours will continue and the building will remain open to patrons during the renovation process, allowing them to visit the various exhibits planned for the 2025.

“We are so excited about this project and it’s long overdue,” said Lim.

Merced County Spokesperson Mike North said that upon completion of the restoration project, a 100 year time capsule will be buried on site containing various items. Some of the items will include a county pin, certificates from local and state elected officials, a California quarter, as well as cards filled out by participants in Wednesday’s ceremony, North said. Even small items removed from the building during the renovation process could make their way into the time capsule.

One of the oldest buildings in California, the Merced County Courthouse Museum was built in 1875 and served as a courthouse for 100 years. Several county departments were also housed in the building during that time frame including the Parks and Recreation department, Treasurer-Tax Collector, Board of Supervisors and others.

Designed by A.A. Bennett, the courthouse was built to resemble an Italian palazzo, featuring a white plaster exterior. Bennett also worked on the California State Capital and the Merced County Courthouse Museum is an example of Italian Renaissance Revival.

This story was originally published December 26, 2024 at 8:02 AM.