Courthouses

James Reily Gordon was the right man, at the right place, at the right time. Gordon was a San Antonio architect who specialized in public buildings in the late 19th century, when counties were building larger structures to replace log cabin courthouses. He was responsible for 18 new buildings, 12 of which remain in use today. LaGrange hosts the oldest of these 12.

Reily’s Fayette County effort is among his best works; it is certainly his most imaginative.  Four types of Texas stone form the exterior of a decided Romanesque Revival design. The arched windows, staggered elevations, and massive towers call out the town’s settlers’ German and Czech roots. 

Reily’s interior met the demands of his time by including an atrium for light and ventilation. In the 20th century, modern conveniences like air conditioning reduced the need for fresh air, and office space replaced the atrium. Fortunately, a 2003-2005 renovation project restored the original design. This is a courthouse worth visiting inside as well as out.

The grounds are expansive and immaculate. The square is packed with a level of commerce unusual for a town of LaGrange’s size. It is a true beauty. 

As you might guess, Gordon also designed his hometown’s courthouse. Bexar County completed this structure in 1896. The building holds the distinction of being the largest currently operating courthouse in Texas. It was not always so big, as four major renovations and remodelings occurred over the first 75 years of the building’s life. Bexar County achieved something difficult through the massive renovations–the courthouse and the renovations look like they were built simultaneously.   

The courthouse is as pretty inside as out. Most of the courts have double ceiling height, giving the rooms a sense of importance. In particular, the home courtroom for the 4th Circuit Court of Appeals is impressive. The building and the interior benefit from an extensive renovation completed in 2015.

The exterior is native Texas granite and red sandstone. The green tiled roof with copper accents perfectly complements it, making the building look both Spanish and Texan. San Antonio is historic and multicultural. The courthouse represents that heritage.

One of the prettiest sites we see is when the Coryell County Courthouse reveals itself to travelers headed eastbound on State Highway 84. The land around Gatesville is beautiful, all rolling hills and greenery. The highway drops down into the town from the west, so the structure grabs your full attention as you come over a hill. The building is massive and commanding. 

W.C. Dodson, a Waco architect, designed the structure, which was completed in 1897. Dodson was almost as prolific as Reily, responsible for 13 Texas courthouses, six of which are still in use as originally designed. The county commissioners gave carte blanche to Dodson, with a few exceptions. They demanded a cupola with a Seth Thomas clock and a bell of not less than 800 pounds to serve as the top of the building.  That top also had to be copper-clad metal.

Say what you will about meddling politicians, that group knew what they were talking about. The cupola adds majesty to the building. It also serves as the central point from which holiday lights are strung in all directions, for an even prettier winter picture.

The late 19th century was the “Golden Age” of courthouse construction. The 1930s to 1950s era was more of an experimental phase, with mixed results. One of the period’s smashing successes is Potter County’s gorgeous Art Deco structure. Built in 1932 at the height of the Great Depression, the building is a testament to forward thinking. 

Like most of the buildings on the list, the grounds provide a perfect setting for the structure. Adding to the effect is the terra cotta finish, representing the region well. The terra cotta also allows for detailed bas-relief sculpture telling the area’s story. Clean and ornate at the same time, the building earns a deserved reputation as one of the best Art Deco structures in Texas. 

We like that the building echoes the similarly beautiful public library next door. The renovation project is just over a decade complete. Potter County residents have a building that their grandchildren will be proud of. As we mentioned, it is a forward-thinking place.

They call it “the Jewel of the Plains” for a reason. Built in 1891, the courthouse is now the oldest in the Panhandle region. It survived a 1930s tornado that removed the third floor, but you would not know it today.

The contrasting red brick and quarried limestone are all from Texas. The lawn is expansive, lush, and well-treed without the trees obscuring the building.  A clear line of sight is vital because the building is striking and unusual. That combination flows from the fact that the courthouse is entirely asymmetrical, with many towers and chimneys offering a series of elevations. The building could have looked overly busy, but the architects hit just the right note.

Building materials might be another issue. Until the 2003 renovation, the Donley County Courthouse was infamous for its bat infestation. Bats are a boon to the ecosystem but not a real help to a courthouse. As noted, the renovation solved the problem after a century, and Donley County earned a place on this list.

Maverick County bears the name of the rugged rancher, Samuel Maverick. The land surrounding Eagle Pass is harsh and unforgiving. One might expect a courthouse with some severity to it. Instead, we get a visual stunner with palm trees and a lovely stucco finish. The courthouse renovation took place in the early 2000s. The restorers recreated the color scheme from when the stucco was applied in 1926, which was a difficult historic choice as the building was first built as a brick structure in 1884.

A difficult decision, but an inspired one. The Maverick County Courthouse is one of one as far as overall impact. Eagle Pass, the county seat, is a center of our cultural exchange with Mexico. The Rio Grande is blocks away. The stucco is a subtle reminder of that fact. 

The building was long used for social events and even allowed overnight visitors at its inception. Eagle Pass grew to be a city of size based on its location on a trade route. The unique, welcoming nature of the courthouse reinforces the values that made the area what it is.

The town of Paint Rock, Texas, county seat of Concho County, has a decidedly Western ring to it. We can imagine John Wayne as a sheriff bringing the culprit to justice in Paint Rock. Indeed, the town’s name comes from Native American history, as “Paint Rock” refers to pictographs found in the hills above the nearby Concho River left by various tribes over the centuries, the last being the Comanche. 

The town lives up to its billing. You could film a gunfight on Main Street without disturbing many of the 272 residents. There is a blacksmith building and a wool trader. If there ever was a perfect marriage of town and courthouse, Paint Rock is it. The limestone is truly native; the quarry was just miles away. The “1886” moniker over the entrance reminds us that the building has stood the test of time for almost 140 years. Most of all, there is simplicity to the structure that is a majestic understatement. John Wayne indeed.

Eugene Heiner was the go-to architect out of Houston during the golden age of courthouse construction. Of the 14 counties featuring a Heiner courthouse, Lavaca County was last up when construction finished in 1899. By then, Heiner had clearly perfected his art form.  The building today is as it was built originally, thanks to a 2010 renovation effort. 

Another Romanesque design, the most striking feature is the central clock tower with four clock faces, each seven feet in diameter. We love the slate roof and the combination of sandstones. Those stones were quarried and transported to Halletsville, but were cut on site. On the inside, carefully preserved murals of local landscape scenes decorate the county’s safes and vaults. The building’s cinematic quality is not just our imagination. The courthouse scenes for the big-budget movie Best Little Whorehouse in Texas were shot here.

If you mention Lockhart to a Texan, the conversation will probably go straight to barbecue. While Lockhart barbecue deserves its reputation, the city and area offer much, much more. In the center of everything is this impressive structure. 

Designed by some combination of Alfred Giles and his later partner, Henry Guidon, in 1894, the best of many good things about it is the perfect mix of cream colored limestone and red sandstone. Another Seth Thomas adorns the tower. The weather vane at the apex is a fitting finishing touch in a land where weather could mean everything to the residents.  

The basic structure replicates an earlier project in Goliad, but the exterior materials and additional towers make this one more impressive. The 254 Texas Courthouse series described the roof design as “exuberant,” which is apt, so we repeat it. The flags are numerous and perfectly positioned to remind us of all the history the area has seen. This attention to detail separates the Caldwell County Courthouse from the many grand courthouses across the state. Visit and then have some barbecue-the pitmasters in the area know about details also. 

We have already mentioned W.C. Dodson for his Coryell County effort in Gatesville. His very similar design in Parker County, however, takes the prize. Again, we have limestone topped by an eye-catching red roof. The clock tower remains. Like in Gatesville, the courthouse in Weatherford sits at a dramatic elevation and can be seen for miles as the dominant structure in a beautiful landscape. 

We are splitting hairs at this point, but we think the Weatherford building seems perfectly proportioned while Dodson’s Gatesville structure is a tad squat. It does not hurt that Weatherford surrounds its courthouse with one of the most vibrant squares in Texas. Beyond that, there are streets of historic structures. 

Finally, as Fort Worth is “where the West begins,” Weatherford is logically and firmly in the West.  While we are a diverse state to which our courthouses pay tribute, the defining mythology is Western. The Parker County Courthouse has all the elements–grandeur, Texas materials, dramatic sight lines, and an old West ethic–to make it Texas Ten’s favorite. This grand dame holds the center as well as any building can.