Sunday, September 25, 2022

THE RESTORATION OF HISTORIC TEXAS COURTHOUSES -- A WORK IN PROGRESS AND A LABOR OF LOVE©


There are 254 Counties in Texas.  Each boasts with Texas pride that it has the most beautiful, the most iconic, and, perhaps, the most authentically historic, Courthouse -- generally still situated in the center of the oldest part of town, in the middle of a "square" around which communities eventually grew, family-owned commercial businesses meeting the needs of the community were created -- often long-standing and having themselves evolved "with the times" -- saloons provided "libations and "entertainment" for local cowhands and cattle drovers passing through, and residences, schools, a local sheriff's office with a small jail, and houses of worship were built.

. . . . . typical of what we generally think existed in the "Wild West", adjacent to territories not yet States prior to, or through the first decade of, the 20th Century.

To put things into perspective:  Texas' independence from Mexico was won in 1836.  Admission into the United States as the 28th State came in 1845.  Texas seceded from the Union in 1861 less than two months  prior to the beginning of the American Civil War (1861-1865), aka the War Between the States, and became part of the Confederacy.  Texas was re-admitted to the Union in 1870, during the difficult and lengthy recovery period known as "Reconstruction".  1870 also marks the establishing of The Chisholm Trail, the herding of cattle to market from Texas to Kansas which helped to bolster Texas' floundering post-Civil War economy.

Parker County Courthouse
in Weatherford, Texas
Architect:  W. C. Dobson
Architectural Style:  Second (French) Empire 
Originally completed in 1886 
Rededicated in 2002
Therefore, it is part of the "Texas story" that some of its Courthouses date back to the mid-1800s and were among the first permanent structures not made entirely of wood in many of its Counties.  Considering the geographical size of Texas, it is not surprising that Texas has more historic Courthouses than any other US State.  

Among Texas' 254 Counties, 242 of its historic County Courthouses are still actively in government use.  With their brick and stone towers, ornate cupolas, soaring domes and varying styles of 19th and early 20th Century architecture, they represent an impressive and eclectic collection of public buildings. 

The oldest of these Courthouses still in active use is the Cass County Courthouse located in East Texas in Linden, Texas (pop. 1,825), approximately 45 miles southwest of Texarkana, Texas.  It is also the only Antebellum courthouse in Texas, its construction having commenced in 1859 prior to the American Civil War, and completed in 1861.  By 2022, it had been continuously in use for 161 years.

Cass County Courthouse in Linden, Texas
Builders:  L.W. Lissenbee and J.T. Veal
Architectural Styles:  Greek Revival
with Federalist design elements
Originally completed in 1861
Rededicated in 2012


With over a century of use in many instances, most of Texas' County Courthouses had significantly deteriorated due to inadequate maintenance, design modifications in subsequent years which were incompatible with the original architectural style, and/or weather-related damage.

Because Texas courthouses are among the most widely recognized, used and appreciated assets which are the centerpieces of their  communities, the Texas Historical Commission instituted in 1999 what has become its nationally-recognized and award-winning Texas Historic Courthouse Preservation Program (THCPP) which has turned around the trend of disrepair and begun restoring these treasured historic landmarks.

While some of the Courthouses have required structural repair due to damage from weather-related issues such as hurricanes, the most frequent repair work has been to cement or ceramic tile floors, the roofs, often very elaborate masonry, the electrical and plumbing systems, wood furniture, staircases and furnishings, and the installation of central heating/air conditioning.  Effort has also been made to restore the original colours and decorative design elements used for both interiors and exteriors.  In some instances, there has been removal of additions made during the intervening years which have negated the integrity of the original architectural design.  Also, the Courthouses, being governmental buildings used by the public, can require Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)-compliant retrofitting.

To date, the THCPP has funded 74 Texas County Courthouse restorations.  An additional 29 County Courthouses have undertaken emergency or planning work with grant funds.  Further, 25 grants have been awarded for the purpose of updating approved preservation Master Plans. 

As of the date of publication of his Blog article, 74 Texas County Courthouses of varying architectural styles have been successfully restored and rededicated since 2002 through the Texas Historic Courthouse Preservation Program.  

Herein below are photographs of several more of the 74 restored, re-dedicated Texas County Courthouses -- these being originally completed between 1886 and 1932, representing a sampling of the architectural styles popular at the time they were designed and constructed, from Victorian Gothic Revival to Art Deco, and including the architectural provenance of each.

Potter County Courthouse
in Amarillo, Texas
Architects:  Townes, Lightfoot & Funk
Architectural Style:  Art Deco
Originally completed in 1932
Re-dedicated in 2012



Williamson County Courthouse
in Georgetown, Texas
Architect:  Charles H. Page
Architectural Style:  Neo-Classical Beaux Arts
Originally completed in 1912
Re-dedicated in 2007


Harrison County Courthouse
in Marshall, Texas
Architect:  J. Riely Gordon
Architectural Style:  Neo-Classical Beaux Arts
Originally completed in 1901
Re-dedicated in 2009



Lamar County Courthouse
in Paris, Texas
Architects:  Sanguinet and Staats
Architectural Styles:  Classical Revival
combined with Romanesque design elements
Originally completed in 1917
Re-dedicated in 2005


Goliad County Courthouse
in Goliad, Texas
Architect:  Henry E. M. Guidon
Architectural Style: Second (Franch) Empire
Originally completed in 1894
Rededicated in 2003


Ellis County Courthouse
in Waxahachie, Texas
Architect:  J. Riely Gordon
Architectural Style:  Romanesque Revival
with Italian hand-crafted stone masonry
Originally completed in 1897
Re-dedicated in 2002


Denton County Courthouse
in Denton, Texas
Architect:  W. C. Dodson
Architectural Style:  Blended Romanesque
and Second (French) Empire
Originally completed in 1896
Re-dedicated in 2004
 


Dallas County Courthouse
in Dallas, Texas
Architect: Max J. Orlopp,Jr./Orlopp & Kusener
Architectural Style:  Richardson Romanesque
Affectionately called "Old Red"
Originally completed in 1892
Rededicated in 2007.


Bosque County Courthouse
in Meridian, Texas
Architect:  J. J. Kane
Architectural style: Victorian Gothic Revival
with Italianate design elements
Originally completed in 1886
Re-dedicated in 2007


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(Primary and Photographic Sources: The Texas Historical Commission/Photos by Wayne Wendel;  Texarkana Gazette) 

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