Colton Hall facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Colton Hall |
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Colton Hall from the east-southeast
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| Location | Monterey, California |
| Built | 1847–1849 |
| Architect | Walter Colton |
| Reference no. | 126 |
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Colton Hall is an important government building and museum in Monterey, California, United States. It was built between 1847 and 1849 by Walter Colton. He came to Monterey as a chaplain on a ship and later became Monterey's first alcalde, which is like a mayor, during the American Period.
Colton Hall first had rooms for a public school on the ground floor. Upstairs, there was a large hall for important meetings. This building was where California's first constitutional convention took place in 1849. This meeting was very important for creating California's laws.
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Building Colton Hall: A Community Effort
When Walter Colton became the alcalde, he wanted to build a school for the children of Monterey. He decided to design it like buildings he knew from cities like Philadelphia. This style is called Greek Revival, which looks like ancient Greek temples.
Colton wrote in his diary that the building was made of white stone from a nearby hill. He planned for the lower rooms to be schools. The big hall upstairs, which was 70 feet by 30 feet, was for public gatherings. He was proud that it was the best building in California at the time.
As alcalde, Colton had many jobs. He was like a mayor, a judge, and a tax collector all in one. To get money and help for the building, he used his powers. He collected money from businesses and sold city land. He also asked people who had broken rules to help build the school as part of their community service.
The building was finished on March 8, 1849. It was the largest public building in California. When Walter Colton finished his time as alcalde, the citizens decided to name the new building "Colton Hall" to honor him.
In 1903, a group called the Native Sons of the Golden West helped get money to fix Colton Hall. The building was then recognized as a California Historical Landmark in 1934. Next to Colton Hall, there is a smaller building made of solid granite. This building was used as the city jail until 1956. Today, you can see old items inside that show what it might have been like for people who stayed there.
In October 2018, the City of Monterey finished a big update to Colton Hall. This included new stairs, a deck, and a courtyard. They also added a chair lift and a special restroom to make the building easier for everyone to visit. Mayor Clyde Roberson said they were excited for all visitors to enjoy the exhibits and events.
California's First Constitution
California's military governor asked for a special meeting to create the state's first constitution. This important meeting happened on the upper floor of Colton Hall. Forty-eight people, called delegates, came from ten different areas. They met from September 1 to October 15, 1849. During this time, they discussed and wrote California's first state constitution.
The stairway to the meeting hall was at the back of the building then. The new California Constitution was approved on October 13, 1849. People voted on it in November of that year, and it was sent to the United States Congress in January 1850. After this, San Jose was chosen as the first place for California's new government to meet.
Colton Hall as a School
Colton Hall was first built to be a school for children in Monterey. In 1873, it became the main office for the school district and also continued to be a grade school. By 1897, the school needed more space and moved to a bigger building nearby. In 1875, a local newspaper, the Monterey Weekly Herald, wrote that children in Monterey would surely learn a lot in such a special building.
Colton Hall Today
Colton Hall is still a very important public building in Monterey County. It has been used for many things over the years. It has served as Monterey's City Hall, a public school, the county court house, and the city police headquarters.
The second floor of Colton Hall is now a museum. It opened in 1949. The museum is open for free from 10 AM to 4 PM, Thursdays through Sundays. There are friendly guides, called docents, who can give you information and tours. The large meeting hall on the second floor has been made to look just like it did when the 48 delegates met there to write the first Constitution.
Interior
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This is the inside room where the discussions and signing happened
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Colton Hall seating area with fireplace
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Papers representing notes and letters that would have been used during discussions
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Long view of room
Exterior
See also
- Former California State Capitol sites
- California Historical Landmarks in Monterey County
- Monterey State Historic Park
- List of the oldest buildings in California
