Fresno County Hall of Records – Fresno CA

Description

This building is now on the National Register of Historic Places. The PWA Deco Moderne building was built by Allied Architects, a “Great Depression-era consortium between architects W. D. Coates, Charles H. Franklin, H. Rafael Lake, Ernest J. Kump, Sr., Fred Swartz, and Edward W. Peterson in Fresno, California. Among their buildings were the Fresno Memorial Auditorium and the Fresno County Hall of Records.”

From the Fresno New Deal walking tour guide: “The Fresno County Hall of Records is considered one of the best examples of Art Deco architecture in Fresno, and exemplifies the high quality design of New Deal projects. The 1936, reinforced concrete main block was funded with a $120,000 grant from the PWA. In addition to the aluminum window frames with chevrons and the geometric and floral banding at the roofline, major entrances feature elaborate terra cotta surrounds with figures of farmer and mechanics, as well as medallions with record keepers. Nationally recognized terra cotta artists Gladding, McBean & Co. of San Francisco created theses emblematic works. The 1955 addition has identical detailing to the main block, including one bank of windows from the original building. The monochromatic exterior of the Hall of Records stands in sharp contrast to the colorful public interior spaces. Terrazzo, marble, decorative metalwork and signage, and even sculpted drinking fountains reflect the large number of skilled craftsmen employed in this project.”