Responding to the growing need for more space in its public offices, the City of New Haven opened its new City Hall on Court Street in 1862, an Italian Gothic Revival structure built of brownstone and designed by architect Henry Austin.

The County Courthouse, designed by David Russell Brown, was erected 10 years later on the North side of City Hall. The County Courthouse, also constructed of brownstone and similar in design to the more imposing municipal building, opened for business in 1873. The new Courthouse served a variety of functions through the years, even housing the Yale Law School for a period of time. It remained in service until 1974 when all judicial matters handled there were transferred to the Courthouse at 121 Elm Street.

Today municipal offices have replaced the old Church Street County Courthouse.