On Aug. 17, 1953, the Placer County Board of Supervisors approved a proposal from Pacific Gas and Electric to illuminate the Placer County Courthouse at night. According to the minutes of the Board of Supervisors meeting, the estimated cost for installation was $650 with a monthly electric bill of $23.75. Technically, this was a re-lighting of the courthouse.
In July of 1928, PG&E temporarily set up arc lights to illuminate the courthouse at night. The beautiful and dramatic view proved popular, and the Board of Supervisors approved the funds to install and operate the lights permanently. But the courthouse went dark, as did most public buildings around the country, after the United States entered World War II in 1941.
The new lights were installed in 1953 and in the June 3, 1954, Auburn Journal it was noted that one out-of-towner thought he was in Sacramento after seeing the courthouse dome illuminated at night. “I saw the Capitol Dome coming down the highway,” he was quoted in the article.
Today, thanks to modern technology, the Placer County Courthouse isn’t just illuminated, it can be painted with colored light to match a special event or bring cheer during the holidays.Learn more about the courthouse’s rich history with an online visual experience here.
Photo: The Placer County Courthouse illuminated with temporary lights, c. 1928
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