It has been erected out of the slender proceeds of town lots, the labor of the convicts, taxes on liquor shops, and fines on gamblers.

The scheme was regarded with incredulity by many, but the building is finished, and the citizens have assembled in it and christened it after my name, which will now go down to posterity with the odor of gamblers, convicts, and tipplers.

I leave it as humble evidence of what may be accomplished by rigidly adhering to one purpose, and shrinking from no personal efforts necessary to its achievement.As the alcalde, Colton served as mayor, coroner, judge, sheriff, in charge of weights and measures, prosecutor, and a tax collector.

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.

"[4] The Native Sons of the Golden West were instrumental in 1903 in securing a legislative appropriation for necessary repairs on Colton Hall.

“'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.

'”[7] California's military governor called for a constitutional convention to be held in Monterey's Colton Hall.

The 48 delegates from ten districts met on the upper floor from September 1 to October 15, 1849, to debate and write California's first state constitution.