Taos County is named after the ancient Indian Pueblo which the Spanish explorers found when they arrived in the area in the 16th century.
Created: January 9, 1852
County Seat:
Taos 1852 – present
County Courthouse – Taos
Location: 105 Albright Street / Passeo Del Pueblo Sur
Built: 2009 – 2011
Style: Modern
Architect: AECOM
Contractor: H B Construction of Albuquerque
Description: The building faces west and is are a complex of two story yellow colored stucco and concrete structures. The complex is located on spacious grounds and is a complex of three two story structures to the south on the center of the city. At the center is the Courthouse, on the south is the Administration Building and on the north is the Detention Building. The Courthouse has a white colored one story portico. The interior has a high central atrium. The buildings are named as the Taos County Administrative, Detention and Judicial Complex.
Former County Courthouse – Taos
Location: 105 Albright Street / Passeo Del Pueblo Sur
Built: 1978 – 1979
Style: Modern
Architect: H R Benson, W A Mingenbach and A C Sanchez
Contractor: La Mesa Builders, Inc.
Description: The building faced east and was a complex of one to two story yellow colored stucco and concrete structures. The Court House was located on landscaped grounds to the south to the south of the center of the city. The building had a straight wall design with yellow colored stucco walls, brown colored trim and large glass windows on the second story. Walkways and trees are between the buildings. The buildings were demolished.
Old County Courthouse – Taos
Location: 104 North Plaza / camino de Santa Fe
Built: 1931 – 1932
Style: Spanish-Pueblo
Architect: Louis G Hesselden
Contractor: L H Bovis
Description: The building faces south and is a two story cream yellow colored stucco and wood structure. The building is located on the north side of the Taos Plaza in the center of the city. The south front has a recessed porch on the first story with central entrance. Below the roof line are logs which project from the building. The roof line is flat. This was a Works Progress Administration project. The building contains murals depicting social justice and were commissioned by the Works Progress Administration for the courtroom on the second floor. The murals were done by Emil Bisttram. On the first story is the old jail.
Note: The previous courthouse was built in 1839 on the plaza. The building was destroyed by fire on May 9, 1932
Courthouses:
N – Conejos County, Colorado and Costilla County, Colorado
E – Colfax County and Mora County
S – Mora County and Rio Arriba County
County Courthouse
Former County Courthouse
Old County Courthouse
Old Jail
Photos taken 2007 and 2016