Architect Mooser’s many years in Spain gave him an unusually sure hand at authentic detailing, as well as an uncanny knack for picturesque massing. To counteract its huge size, the building is brilliantly articulated into discrete sections that prevent its bulk from being overpowering. In this view, the arched passage leading to the street dominates the main block; the circular tower at the intersection of the wings contains the main staircase. At left foreground is the Sunken Garden, which outlines the remains of the county’s original courthouse built in 1873.