Las Animas County is named for the Animas River which in Spanish is “Rio de las Animas Perdidas” which means “River of the Souls in Purgatory”.
Surrounding County Courthouses:
N – Huerfano County, Pueblo County, Otero County and Bent County
E – Baca County
S – Union County, New Mexico and Colfax County, New Mexico
W – Costillia County
Created: February 9, 1866
County Seat:
Trinidad 1866 – present
County Courthouse – Trinidad
Location: 200 East 1st Street / Maple Street
Built: 1912 – 1913
Style: Neo-Classical
Architect: Issac Hamilton Rapp and William Mason Rapp of Rapp Brothers and A C Hendrickson
Contractor: W G Rapp
Description: The building faces north and is a three story light colored stone and concrete structure. The building is located at the center of Trinidad and has columns on each side rising from the second story to the top of the third story. Along the second story, there is arched stonework above each window. The north and west entrances project from the building. Along the flat roof is a stone balustrade. In the interior, the staircase is marble and there are stain glass windows. The large County District Court courtroom is located on the east side of the third story and the small courtroom is located on the west side of the third story. The building houses the County District Court and County Court of the 3rd Judicial District. On the east side is the five story County Jail.
See: The architect, Issac Hamilton Rapp, also designed courthouses in New Mexico in Chaves County and Rio Arriba County and in Texas in Donley County.
See: The 3rd Judicial District includes Huerfano County.
History: The county was created in 1866 and Trinidad was selected as the county seat. The county used rented premises. The first courthouse was a two story structure built in 1881. The second and present courthouse was constructed in 1912 to 1913.
County Courthouse – Trinidad
County District Court courtroom
County District Court small courtroom
County Jail – Trinidad
Photos taken 2007 and 2016