Embedded Files
👨🏻⚖️ 📜 The San Pablo Justice Court 🏛️⚖️
The first official courthouse in San Pablo was on the main avenue then known as Alvarado Street in an unassuming structure that looked like someone's home (see photo below).
Of course, after many years a new city hall and civic center with courthouse, jail, police department and other administrative offices were built on Market Avenue at 21st Street. Eventually, San Pablo outgrew those facilities and moved to the then newly built complex known as Alvarado Square, on San Pablo Avenue corner of Church Lane, back to its place of origin. The following is a glimpse into the San Pablo Justice Court's activities during its tenure from the 1900s to the 1950s.
🔹San Pablo Justice court case: Howard M Abramson for reckless driving crashing into Mrs. Wagtenbarger.
🔹San Pablo Justice court case to protect wild birds.
🔹San Pablo Justice Court case: Fidel Lionette vs Richmond poundman for goats unlawfully taken.
🔹San Pablo Justice Court case: 3 youths attempt to "steal" plane from San Pablo flying field.
🔹San Pablo Justice Court case: Antonio Soito vs Mrs. J.A. Whitten for $90 damages of auto in crash.
🔹San Pablo Justice Court case: SPPD vs Francis Cole for over limit (weight) of lumber truck.
🔹San Pablo Justice Court case: M. Silva vs Harbor Creamery.
🔹Suit on file against changing San Pablo Justice Court to a municipal court.
🔹San Pablo Justice Court became a municipal court in August 1957.
🔹San Pablo Justice Court relocated to Moitoza's garage at Church & Alvarado Street (San Pablo Ave).
Domestic disputes, unlawful cohabitation, illegal activities, fights in saloons, murder plots for revenge, this, and so much more, (some of which have been mentioned above), can be found in the files and court ledger archived at the Blume House museum.
San Pablo Justice Court building, 2725 San Pablo Avenue (near 13800 San Pablo Ave today).
The location of the San Pablo Justice Court building on Alvarado near Church is seen here on this 1928 Sanborn Company map. Green arrow points to location of Justice Court.
The men in the cover photo, were most likely taking a break after a long day, with the saloon owner standing at the far right. The description for this c1900s photo: "Group in front of John Boquet's Saloon." FYI, John Edward Boquet was also town Constable in 1895 to around 1910.
• Individuals L to R: Louis R. Machado, Alfred Frank, Frank Addison Wilcox, and John Boquet (sometimes spelled Bouquet).
Source: https://www.cocohistory.org/frm-photos.html
This place was also known as the Union Saloon, it later became the Country Inn (aka 'Kountry'). The Union Saloon was on the East side of San Pablo Avenue at the corner of Church Lane. Today, Adobe Liquors and La Strada Italian restaurant sit on this corner area.
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