Year Built: 1965
Architect: Rusty, Martin & Vale
The Matagorda County Courthouse is located in Bay City, Texas.
Eugene T. Heiner was the architect for this building in the Second Empire style. Subsequently, the drawings for the courthouse were purchased by neighboring Brazoria County, which constructed a similar building in 1897. Matin Byrne Johnson and Appligate of Victoria built the courthouse.
The 1896 courthouse was significantly altered and wings added in 1928. Architectural design by Norris and Novnan of San Antonio. The clock tower was removed and the style was transformed to Spanish Revival. The building was demolished in 1963 to make way for the current courthouse.
In the early 1960’s the county government decided the 1896/1928 courthouse was too old and expsenive to maintain. The old, historic building was demolished and a dramatic, formal and imposing concrete structure was constructed in the Bay City square.
Set on a plinth, with a parking garage below grade, the two-story building is a “classic” example of so-called modern architecture of the period. The solid first floor is setback behind a row of columns that support the over-hanging second floor with its vertical brise-soileil (French for “sun-breaker”) shading the glazed elevations from the harsh Texas sun. For a contemporary courthouse, this one is very well done.
By the way, in 1959 Rustay & Martin Architects of Houston designed the Calhoun County courthouse in Port Lavaca, so they were already familiar with this area of the Texas Gulf coast.
From the 254 Texas Courthouses Website.
