Santa Barbara was formed as a county in 1850. County government was housed in an adobe located at Santa Barbara Street and East Carrillo Street, the Aguirre Adobe. Soon the new county out-grew their home and purchased the city block bound by Anacapa, Anapamu, Figueroa and Santa Barbara Streets. The site had an abode located roughly in the middle of the block, the Kays Adobe.

In 1866 the County Grand Jury reported that the Kays adobe was too small to house all the functions of county government and demanded that the Board of Supervisor's address the overcrowded offices by building a new courthouse. The functions of county government had only been in the Kays Adobe about 10 years.

The California State Legislature passed a bill to authorized the County to construct a new courthouse. The Board of Supervisor's ordered the construction of a new "modern" courthouse, in keeping with other courthouses around the country. The new courthouse was a cruciform two story buildings placed behind the existing Kays Adobe. The building served the people of Santa Barbara County for 17 years. The $50,000 bond that paid for the construction of the new courthouse was retired in 1901. In 1888, a Hall of Records was constructed near the new courthouse. At some point during this period the Kays Adobe was demolished. In 1904, a major addition was constructed to each side of the courthouse, enlarging the office area for growing departments. The Office of the County Architect has some drawings in its archives of the 1872 courthouse and 1888 Hall of Records.

Then an earthquake occurred...

Corner Stone (1874)