Upon becoming the elected alcalde Colton decided to build a school in Monterey, he decided that it would be in the style of the buildings he was familiar with from Philadelphia and Washington DC, the
Greek Revival style. He wrote in his diary, As the alcalde, Colton served as mayor, coroner, judge, sheriff, in charge of weights and measures, prosecutor, and a tax collector. In order to raise funds and free labor, Colton took full advantage of his "absolute" powers. He would tax cantinas, alcohol, and gambling, sell city lots, and used the money toward the building. When he found someone "misbehaving" he would arrest them as the sheriff, throw them in jail and act as the judge, often sentencing them to labor on the school. When the building was completed on March 8, 1849, it was the largest public building in California. When his tenure as Alcalde was completed, a citizens committee convened to commend him for his service. They named the new building in his honor "Colton Hall." The
Native Sons of the Golden West were instrumental in 1903 in securing a legislative appropriation for necessary repairs on Colton Hall. The building was then registered as a
California Historical Landmark in 1934. A single-story, solid granite block building is attached to the eastern side of Colton Hall. It was the city jail until 1956. The dark, barred cells today display sleeping cots, guitars, and other artifacts that may have been in use by inmates. In October 2018, the City of Monterey completed a $353, 000 renovation. This included a back stairway, deck, courtyard, and parking lot. The building became compliant with the
American Disabilities Act with the installation of a chair lift and ADA restroom. “'We are excited to welcome all visitors to our exhibits and events in Colton Hall, ” said Mayor Clyde Roberson ...“This is a perfect example of a Neighborhood Improvement Program project. '” == California Constitution ==