Gila County is named for the Gila River which flows through the county, and which river was named for the Spanish contraction of “Hah-quah-sa-eel”, a Yuma word meaning “running water which is salty”.
Surrounding County Courthouses:
N – Coconino County and Navajo County
E – Navajo County and Graham County
S – Pinal County
W – Pinal County, Maricopa County and Yavapai County
Created: February 8, 1881
County Seat:
Globe 1881 – present
County Courthouse – Globe
Location: 1400 East Ash Street / East Monroe Street
Built: 1976 – 1977
Style: Modern
Architect: Anne Nicholas Rysdale
Contractor: Lawrence, Hickey & Sons Inc.
Description: The building faces north and is a two story buff colored brick and concrete structure. The building is located on landscaped grounds to the southeast of the center of Globe. The front of the building forms a single story connected to the two story south section. The entrance has four brick arches with an open courtyard behind. On the east side is a large arched glass window. The south side of the building has large arched glass windows towards the east side. The building has a black colored roof. The building houses the County Superior Court of Division II and County Justice Court (Globe Regional).
Old County Courthouse – Globe
Location: NE – North Broad Street / East Oak Street
Built: 1906 – 1907
Style: Beaux Arts
Architect: W R Norton
Contractor: Stone masons working on the Roosevelt Dam
Description: The building faces west and is a three story brown colored stone and concrete structure. The building is located in the center of Globe. The building has steep steps on the west front leading up to the single entrance doorway. On the third story are circular windows with cream-white colored trim. The upper center portion of the building is a raised cream-white faced section. The courtroom was located on the third floor. The building remained vacant from 1976 to 1884 and is now the Cobre Valley Center for the Arts. On the east side is the old County Jail.
See: National Register of Historic Places – Gila County Courthouse
See: Division II Tucson includes Cochise County, Graham County, Greenlee County, Pima County, Pinal County and Santa Cruz County
History: The county was created in 1881 and Globe was selected as the county seat. The county rented premises and the first courthouse was a square, two-story stone building with a hipped roof built in 1888. The second courthouse was constructed in 1906 to 1907. The third and present courthouse was constructed in 1976 to 1977.
County Courthouse – Globe
Old County Courthouse – Globe
Photos taken 2008
Images 10