Ellis County Courthouse

Texas has a grand variety of historic county courthouses. Many of these historic county courthouses exist today, in part, because of an act passed in 1881 by the Texas legislature authorizing counties to sell bonds to finance the construction of new courthouses. This change of state law combined with the prosperity that followed the Civil War and Reconstruction eras gave birth to what is commonly called the “Golden Era” of courthouse building in Texas.

In the years between 1880 and 1900 many Texas counties built imposing new county courthouses. Typically these buildings sat at the center of the town square and were symbolic of the soundness of the town and local government. These courthouses were built in strongly expressive architectural styles. French Second Empire and Romanesque Revival architectural styles were most prevalent during this era. Both of these forms express old world grandness and permanence through form. Without a doubt, permanence was just what the average citizen longed for after the uncertain decades of the Civil War and Reconstruction.

Texas county courthouses were added to the National Trust for Historic Preservation’s 11 Most Endangered Properties list in 1998. Texas responded by creating the Texas Historic Courthouse Preservation Program in June of 1999. In the decade that followed many old county courthouses have been preserved, restored, and modernized thanks in large part to several rounds of funding provided for by the Texas Legislature.

Today, North Central Texas has more than its share of golden era courthouses. These buildings are both pleasing to see and interesting historically. Over several years I have visited many of these grand old public buildings. I’m sharing here my understanding of these persevering Texas landmarks.  If you find my coverage of this subject less than complete, I encourage you to look beyond my work. There’s a wealth of information available to those interested in the history of Texas county courthouses. Most of all, these wonderful old structures are all here today — available to drive by and see at your leisure, just as they have been for over 100 years.

More information on Historic County Courthouse.

County History

The first known inhabitants of Wise County were probably Wichita Indians. When the Coronado expedition came through the area of present Decatur in 1540, there were several Indian villages between the Trinity and Red rivers. The history of white settlement in Wise County began with Sam Woody who moved to Deep Creek in 1854, and his original log cab remains as a historic site today in what is now Cooke County.

Wise County was officially established by The Texas Legislature on January 23, 1856 with land drawn mostly from Cooke County, and was named in honor of Henry A. Wise, a United States Congressman from Virginia who had supported the annexation of Texas. The location of the county seat of Wise County was selected by a county election and, although the town was originally named Taylorsville early town pioneer Colonel Absolam Bishop petitioned to change the town’s name to Decatur after becoming disappointed with President Zachary Taylor. Decatur remains the seat of Wise County government to the present.

The Courthouse

The present courthouse is the forth constructed in the county. The third courthouse was destroyed by fire on January 8, 1895. The burning of the third courthouse set off a controversy over the location of the county seat. An election was held in November of 1895 to see if the new courthouse should be constructed at a new location. Voters confirmed by a wide margin that Decatur was to remain the county seat.

Plans for a courthouse were accepted from several architects, but on May 10, 1895 the contract was awarded to San Antonio architect J. Riely Gordon who agreed to also superintend the project for a fee of 5% of construction cost. The contract for construction was awarded to J.A. White who had the lowest bid of $95,000. Construction was to begin before June 1, 1895. In January of 1897, the building was completed and received by the commissioners court for a cost of about $110,000.

The Wise County Courthouse is one of several designed by architect J. Riely Gordon in Texas in the last years of the 19th century. This courthouse is often compared to the Ellis County Courthouse in Waxahachie Texas. Like that building, the Wise County Courthouse is based on the cruciform plan and the Romanesque Revival architectural style which were both used with great success by J. Riely Gordon in Texas.

Materials used on the courthouse exterior include Texas granite in two colors and terra cotta used extensively in the friezes, turrets and dormers. Marble wainscots, stone flooring of contrasting color tiles, and oak doors and trim accent the interior. A winding cast iron staircase in the building’s center provides access to the upper floors. Good natural ventilation and lighting are provided by a glass skylight.

The interior of the Wise County Courthouse was remodeled in 1960, but the exterior of the building still retains most of its original details. The building’s exterior was sandblasted several years ago in an effort to clean it up and modern plate glass windows and entrance doors were installed. These minor changes while not in keeping with the history of the building do little to detract from this charming old courthouse and the surrounding town square. Anyone who’s a fan of old Texas county courthouses or the architectural works of J. Riely Gordon should certainly consider a trip to come and see this grand old building.

Location

101-1/2 N. Trinity
Decatur, Texas

Information:  http://www.wisecounty.com/

Bibliography:
WISE COUNTY. The Handbook of Texas Online. http://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/view/WW/hcw14.html, 2004.
Texas Historical Commission, Texas Historic Sites Atlas. http://atlas.thc.state.tx.us/, 2009.

County: Wise
map

Copyright © 2009 by Sam Fenstermacher
All rights reserved

The Somervell County Courthouse is a simple two story structure featuring elements of Romanesque Revival and General Grant architectural styles. Intersecting hallways on the first floor divide the first floor space into four sections. The second floor features a courtroom and some office space. The building is modest in size, oblong in shape, and approximately 60 feet wide and 40 feet deep.

Courthouse Square

The courthouse square, much like the courthouse building, is modest in size. The two most notable buildings on the square are the First National Bank Building and the Campbell Building.

The courthouse square has been a popular gathering place for Somervell residents since the late 1880′s. Back before cars and grocery stores, farmers would bring stock animals and other goods to the square to sell. That tradition is still alive and well today. Local farmers continue to bring fresh fruits, vegetables, and other items to the town square for sale. They set up on the west side of the square where there are benches and plenty of shade provided by old pecan trees. Both the farmers tasty offerings and the conversation are refreshingly unique.

County History

Around 1860 Charles and Juana Barnard built a three story stone gristmill along the Paluxy River. The town that eventually grew around the mill was called Barnard’s Mill. In 1871 T.C. Jordan, bought the mill and surrounding land from Charles Barnard. Mrs. T.C. Jordan called the area around Barnard’s Mill Rose Glen as a reminder of her native Scotland. Years later the town’s people voted to rename the town Glen Rose.

Location

107 NE Vernon St
Glen Rose, TX 76043

Information:  www.glenrose.org

Bibliography:
Leach, Dorothy, The Story of The Somervell County Courthouse. Somervell: Somervell Historical Commission, 1987.
Texas Historical Commission, Texas Historic Sites Atlas. http://atlas.thc.state.tx.us/, 2003.

County: Somervell
map

Copyright © 2009 by Sam Fenstermacher
All rights reserved

County History

Prior to 1850 the area of Texas that eventually became Parker County was frontier territory. The establishment of Fort Worth in 1849, and the building of Fort Belknap in 1851 combined with other factors promoted the settlement of this area after 1850.

Late in 1855 Isaac Parker petitioned the Texas State Legislature to establish Parker County and Weatherford. On December 12, 1855, the legislature officially created Parker County from parts of Navarro and Bosque Counties. The new county was 30 miles square, with 320 acres reserved at the center for the county seat. Weatherford, the county seat, was named in honor of Jefferson Weatherford a Senator from Dallas.

The Town of Weatherford

In 1858 the city government of Weatherford was established. The town square was laid out at the intersection of the two primary roads approaching town. Instead of the typical layout with streets passing by all four sides of the town square, Weatherford’s square is right in the middle of the roads as you approach from all four directions. When the courthouse was eventually built, is was visible from some distance as you approached town. This layout makes for a much more dramatic presentation compared to the typical town square where you usually don’t see the courthouse until you pull up to one if the intersections on a corner of the courthouse square.

First Monday

In the late 19th century stray cattle and horses were brought to the town square to sell. Around 1900 a Weatherford merchant offered some bargain merchandise for sale on what was then called a “Stray Day Sale,” and the idea caught on. The tradition of “First Monday” lives on to this day. The location of the sale has moved from the courthouse square to the public market a few blocks east of the courthouse. It’s more like a flea market these days, but locals still show up on the first Monday of the month to sell local goods to folks who come from near and sometimes from very far away.

The Courthouse

The Parker County Courthouse was designed by architect W. C. Dodson. The style of the Weatherford courthouse is similar to Dodson’s other courthouses in Hill, Hood, and Lampasas counties. The building is a three story structure with a forth story attic. A central clock tower extends up another three stories. The building is square in plan with four almost identical facades. Each facade is divided into five bays with projecting pavilions on the end and center bays. Each of the four corners of the building is crowned with a convex mansard roof. The central clock tower repeats the pattern of the convex mansard roofs to produce a uniformity of style.

The second and third story windows are vertically united to form single windows spanning two stories. The long vertical windows, central clock tower, and mansard roofs make what is already a courthouse built to a grand scale look even more palatial.

The elevation of this courthouse and the dramatic central position it holds on the town square further contributes to it’s overall grandeur. Certainly, it can be seen from a great distance away, as you approach town form any direction.

The interior of the Parker County Courthouse was heavily modified over the years. A restoration completed in 2004 restored much of the interior to its original configuration.

While the courthouses in Hood and Hill counties were also designed by architect W. C. Dodson, and are often compared to this courthouse, there are some distinct differences between the interiors of those two buildings and the Parker County Courthouse.

The courtroom of the Parker County Courthouse is among the biggest in the state at 4500 square feet. The ceiling is 28 feet high and heavily patterned and decorated. The pattern on the ceiling is carried through to the patterned flooring. The walls also are decoratively painted. Small wood balconies provide limited additional seating. Dark woodwork and shutters accentuate the very tall windows on the north and south walls of the courtroom. Beautiful reproductions of the original brass ceiling lamps hang from brass chains and help light this enormous space.

The district courtroom in the Parker County Courthouse is every bit as grand as it is different from any other courtroom in a nearby historic county courthouse.

Believe it or not, they saved the old squeaky wooden staircases. Of course they are original to the building and therefore important to the historical completeness of the building’s restoration. It’s a good thing too because they could never meet modern building codes. The railings can’t be more than 28 inches high! I guess in the old days they figured railings were for children, and adults should be able to take care of themselves.

For many years I drove by this building and wondered what was inside. At the right time of day I could see light shining through the tall windows from the other side of the courthouse. I couldn’t imagine what could be inside if I could see right through the building. It surprised me to see how that was possible. If you have never been inside this building, stop and take a look. Overall this courthouse is in magnificent condition after its 2004 restoration. If you’ve been inside the Hill and Hood county courthouses, then your in for an even bigger surprise. This building won’t be at all what you expect. And, that’s a good thing.

Location

117 Fort Worth Hwy
Weatherford, Texas

Information:  http://www.co.parker.tx.us/

Bibliographic note:
Most of the information presented here was extracted from the Texas Historical Commission’s Sites Atlas. (http://atlas.thc.state.tx.us/) Other information resulted from a conversation with the restoration project superintendent in January of 2004. Still other details came from a special section to the April 18, 2004 edition of The Weatherford Democrat newspaper.

County: Parker
map

Copyright © 2009 by Sam Fenstermacher
All rights reserved

County History

The Texas State Legislature created Hopkins County from land formerly in Lamar and Nacogdoches counties in March of 1846. The county was named in honor of a prominent local pioneer family. The original county seat of Hopkins County was named in honor of General Edward H. Tarrant. The town of Tarrant was created at the geographic center of Hopkins County as required by Texas law at that time. In 1847 a post office was established in Tarrant. The town of Tarrant remained the county seat of Hopkins County until the Post-Civil War Reconstruction period. In 1870 a special act of the Texas Legislature declared Sulphur Springs the permanent county seat of Hopkins County.

County Courthouse and Town Square

The Hopkins county town square in Sulphur Springs is a dramatically different place. A vintage J. Riely Gordon courthouse occupies the northeast corner of the spacious town square. This offset location is both by choice and chance. The previous courthouse was built on the east side of the original town square. When that building burned down in 1894, a decision was made to buy additional property east of the town square and build the present day courthouse on the northeast corner of the enlarged town square.

The net result of all these events in Hopkins County is a spacious public square with plenty of room for parking and public gathering. Along the eastern side of the square there’s a bandstand and a small yard with trees and benches. The parking lot and walkways on the square are paved with red bricks. This adds a vintage feel to the place, and also creates a dramatic approach to the county courthouse.

This J. Riely Gordon courthouse has two entrances rather than four. Because the Hopkins County courthouse sits on the northeast corner of the town square it has entrances facing northwest and southwest. Many other J. Riely Gordon designed courthouses of this vintage feature four entrances on the corners of the building. The position of the courthouse on the square made this impractical and dictated the use of two entrances which both faced out onto the public square.

Pink granite and red sandstone are the predominant materials used for construction of the exterior facades. Massive Roman arched at the entrances are topped by second-story poritcos which in turn are crowned by third-story open porches. Just below the roof line a band of square stones of two colors set in a checkerboard pattern adds contrast and accents red sandstone arches above third story windows.

The courthouse in Hopkins County is similar in many ways to all the other county courthouses J. Riely Gordon designed for nearby Texas counties. One notable difference is the omission of a clock in the central tower. According to a story on the Hopkins County Texas web site, citizens did ask for a clock to be placed in the courthouse tower. County officials decided a clock in the tower would be alright but wouldn’t provide funding for it. The matter was discussed avidly among the town’s people, but nothing was ever done. Hopkins County Commissioner R. Carpenter had his own opinion about the clock and he let it be known, “Get up at sunup; go to bed at dark, and eat when you are hungry, and you don’t need no d_ _ _ clock.” Soon after you come into the courthouse through the southwest entrance you’re confronted by the huge iron door of a fireproof vault. The door has been very skilfully striped of its many coats of old finish. The work is interesting because it gives you a little insight into how historians determine the original finish and markings that are concealed under decades of paint and deterioration. Still the mammoth old door has an unfinished appearance. A quick look around might also reveal to you that the beautiful stone flooring around you has been repaired rather than replaced. The color of some of the little tiles are brighter than the bulk of the flooring.

Apparently someone decided it was far better to retain most of the existing flooring rather than to replace it all. The vault door may have been left unfinished for many reasons. One possible reason might be that it didn’t fit in the budget for the most recent restoration of the building. This is all speculation, but it gives us a little insight into how these old buildings are being restored. At some point the general contractor doing the restoration work and the officials of the county government have to make hard decisions about which repairs are the most worthy. There isn’t an infinite amount of money available to complete the project. The Texas State Historical Commission will make every effort to preserve the original features of the courthouse unless they really don’t make sense in a modern public building. Although the final results of the restoration of the Hopkins County courthouse are truly grand, many tough decisions and compromises were very likely required to achieve that end.

The District Courtroom is reminiscent of the one in the nearby Ellis County Courthouse. The courtroom occupies one side of the building on the second floor with additional seating in a balcony on the third floor. This courtroom is smaller than the one in Ellis County. The seating provided for the public is curved wooden benches. Exposed concrete flooring is evident. Many smaller details of this room are also reminiscent of the courtroom in Ellis County. For example, the iron poles that support the balcony where it overhangs the main courtroom appear to be identical to those used in Ellis County.

When comparing J. Riely Gordon courthouses it often seems to be the case that they will be similar in many ways, but each plan has its own unique twist. That way each county ended up with what they wanted which was a grand courthouse like the one Gordon designed for their neighboring county, but with enough unique features and architectural details so that no one would ever dare call them identical.

Like so many other J. Riely Gordon courthouses of this vintage, a central staircase provides transport to the upper floors of the building. This staircase is immediately surrounded by a gallery that provides a connection to the various offices of the building. This design produces excellent ventilation, and ventilation was so important in Texas before air conditioning. In the case of the Hopkins County courthouse a hinged skylight in the tower provides a way to allow hot air to flow out of the building.

The way to open the vent in the tower becomes apparent as you round the last turn on the stairs heading up to the third floor. It’s here you’ll come upon a black iron spiral staircase that extends up to the skylight in the tower. This stair is quite dramatic to see as it extends up to the center of the building a great distance above. The dust on the stair treads suggests that these steps are rarely used. Because of modern air conditioning, the vent is of little use. On the other hand, the accent lights that so effectively emphasize the black spiral stair against the solid white walls suggests that in modern times the spiral staircase functions more as an artistic element than as a staircase.

Before turning your attention away from the courthouse, a few additional moments should be spent discovering the details of the courthouse’s exterior. In several places around the building the stone carvers were apparently given a little free space to show off their best work. In the center of the north and south sides of the building, below small balconies, you’ll find faces carved in stone. Up high on the west side of the building the date of construction is conspicuously encircled within an elaborately carved cartouche.

Hopkins County rededicated its historic courthouse in December of 2002. More than three million dollars in restoration work was funded through The Texas Historic Courthouse Preservation Program. This classic J. Riely Gordon courthouse has probably never looked better. Go see it.

Location

118 Church Street
Sulphur Springs, Texas

Information:  http://www.hopkinscountytx.org/

Bibliography:
Texas Historical Commission, Texas Historic Sites Atlas. http://atlas.thc.state.tx.us/, 2009.

County: Hopkins
map

Copyright © 2009 by Sam Fenstermacher
All rights reserved

County History

Hood County was formed in November 1866 by an act of the Texas Legislature. The county was named after Lt. Gen. John Bell Hood of the Confederate Army. The county seat of Hood County was named in honor of Confederate general Hiram Bronson Granbury. The town of Granbury was established on land donated by influential county residents Thomas Lambert and J. F. and J. Nutt. The donated land was not at the center of the county, as was specified by the law, and this caused a great controversy. Eventually residents of the southern portion of Hood County petitioned the legislature to created a new county, and as a result in 1875 Somervell County was established from about 200 square miles of land previously part of Hood County.

The Granbury Town Square

According to the National Register of Historic Places, the Granbury town square is one of the most complete nineteenth century courthouse squares in Texas. The W. C. Dodson designed Second Empire style courthouse and the surrounding late 19th century commercial buildings provide a certain architectural unity to the town square. A few structures on the square were built in the early 20th century, but they generally conform to the architectural norm of the rest of the town square. The Granbury town square is significant enough to merit a National Register designation as the Hood County Courthouse Historic District.

The Courthouse

The county courthouse was constructed in 1890-91 from a design provided by Waco architect W. C. Dodson. The three-story limestone structure reflects the then popular French Second Empire architectural style. The Hood County Courthouse is very similar to other courthouses built by Dodson in the 1880′s. The county courthouses of Lampasas, Parker, and Hill counties all share a common and progressively refined architectural theme. All four of these buildings feature a second-story district courtroom with two story high ceiling and wood framed clock tower with ornate tin trim. Except for the courthouse at Lampasas, which was the earliest constructed of the four, they also feature a mansard-roof treatment.

The Hood County Courthouse is a fairly spartan building compared to the other three structures previously mentioned. A clock tower was not originally planned for the courthouse and was added after construction had started. The courthouse is constructed of limestone and the use of ornate stone carving is limited. Unlike most Texas county courthouses of this era, the building has only three entrances on the first floor. In spite of the fact that the north side of the town square has some of the most prominent buildings, there’s no north entrance to the courthouse.

The exterior of the Hood County Courthouse was restored in 2000, and it makes a grand center piece for what is an absolutely wonderful old town square. The interior of the courthouse still reflects alterations made years ago to better utilize available interior space. The large district courtroom has been divided into multiple courts. Hood County still makes extensive use of this public building for county business. Someday when the county has constructed alternative office space, the interior of this grand old courthouse may be restored to match the exterior.

Location

100 E Pearl St
Granbury Texas

Information:  http://www.granburytx.com/

Bibliography:
Texas Historical Commission, Texas Historic Sites Atlas. http://atlas.thc.state.tx.us/, 2009.

County: Hood
map

Copyright © 2009 by Sam Fenstermacher
All rights reserved

Description

The Erath County Courthouse is a substantial three story edifice constructed of local white limestone and red Pecos sandstone. The tower of the building extends to a height of 95 feet, and the building’s base measures 60 by 80 feet.

This building presents a variation on a traditional theme in early Texas courthouses of intersecting halls on the first floor dividing the first floor space into four major areas. The twist is that the tower walls extend down through the center of the building creating an open central space on the first floor. This central space or atrium has no immediate ceiling and is open to the second and third floors.

Iron staircases on the east and west sides of the building provide access to the upper levels. On the second and third floors a gallery provide easy access to the district court room and the other offices. The district courtroom occupies the south side of the building on the second and third floors. This courtroom features a high ceiling that arches above to the third story balcony.

The Erath County Courthouse, the work of noted architect J. Riely Gordon, is a fine example of Romanesque Revival design. Use of the Roman Arch prevails on the exterior and interior of this edifice. The limestone walls that support the clock tower extend down through the building to the first floor. The result is a massive openness in the center of the building, and extensive use of stone for interior walls. Every significant opening in these stone walls, on all three stories is crowned with an arch. This arrangement of materials and space purveys an incredible feeling of strength and openness. Good natural lighting and ventilation also occur as a result of this J. Riely Gordon design.

The courthouse was constructed by contractor S.A. Tomlinson of Fort Worth for a contracted price of $59,173.00. On December 3, 1891 the white limestone cornerstone was laid in place by the Stephenville Masonic Lodge Number 267. The county received the building in 1892 and it has served its original purpose ever since.

The Erath County Courthouse underwent extensive restoration in 2002 and the work was completed in January of 2003.

Location

100 W Washington St
Stephenville, TX

Information:  http://www.stephenvilletexas.org/

Bibliography:
Texas Historical Commission, Texas Historic Sites Atlas. http://atlas.thc.state.tx.us/, 2009.

County: Erath
map

Copyright © 2009 by Sam Fenstermacher
All rights reserved