Shasta County is named for Mount Shasta which means “white mountain” in the Native American language.
Surrounding County Courthouses:
N – Siskiyou County and Modoc County
E – Lassen County
S – Plumas County and Tehama County
W – Trinity County
Created: February 18, 1850
County Seat:
Redding 1850 – present
County Courthouse – Redding
Location: 1500 Court Street / Yuba Street
Built: 1954 – 1966
Style: Modern
Architect: E G Bangs
Contractor: Marian V Allen
Description: The building faces east and is a three story concrete and glass structure. The east front of the rectangular building has a central entrance on the first story with two large pink colored columns and recessed glass entrance. On the second and third stories, the windows are horizontal. The roof line is flat. A three story annex was constructed on the west side in 1965 to 1967. The architect was Smart & Clabaugh and the contractor was Nielson & Nickles Company. The buildings were renovated in 1996. The architect was Ekona AIA and Nicklos, Melburg & Rossetto and the contractor was Allen L Bender.
New County Courthouse – Redding
Location: 1501 Court Street / Yuba Street
Built: 2019 – 2022
Style: Modern
Architect: NBBJ of Seattle
Contractor: Sundt Construction Company of Tempe, Arizona
Description: The building faces west and is a ten story concrete and glass structure. The rectangular shaped building is located on landscaped grounds in the center of Redding. The west front has a five story section. The roof line is flat. There are fourteen courtrooms.
See: The county is located in the 3rd Appellate District Court of Appeal – Sacramento.
County Administration Building – Redding
Location: 1450 Court Street / Tehama Street
Built: 2002 – 2004
Style: Modern
Architect: Nicklos, Melburg & Rossetto and Dreyfuss & Blackford
Contractor: Gifford Construction, Inc.
Description: The building faces east and is a two story concrete and glass structure. There is a large plaza area on the southeast side with the main entrance on the west side which is glass paneled. A high clock tower rises above the complex. The building forms an “L” shape with a north and west wing. The roof line is flat. The courthouse is located on the south side.
Old County Courthouse – Shasta
Location: 15312 State Highway 299 / High Street
Built: 1855
Style: Federal
Architect: James Loag
Contractor: James Loag
Description: The building faces southwest and is a one story red colored brick structure. A long wood porch runs along the south side with a series of green colored doors behind. The roof line is flat. The building was built as the home of Major Redding and served as the courthouse from 1862 to 1888. The building is located in the Shasta State Historic Park.
Note: The courthouse is the oldest former courthouse in California that is still standing.
History: The county was created in 1850 and Reading’s Ranch was designated as the county seat. The first courthouse was the home of Major Reading at Reading’s Ranch. In 1851, the county seat was moved to Shasta. The second courthouse was a store built in 1855 and used from 1862 to 1888, and which is still standing. The county seat was moved to Redding in 1888. The third courthouse was a two story structure designed by A A Cook and constructed by John T Long in 1888 to 1889. In 1909 the Hall of Records was constructed on the south side. The courthouse was demolished in 1862. The Lady of Justice which adorned the courthouse was placed on the front lawn in 1956. When the statue was vandalized, it was moved to the Old Shasta County Jail. In 2010, the statue was placed in the Jury Assembly Room. The fourth courthouse was constructed in 1954 to 1955. The fifth and present courthouse was constructed in 2019 to 2022 at a cost of $173,000,000.
County Courthouse – Redding
County Administration Building – Redding
Old County Courthouse – Shasta
Photos taken 2013