Year Built: 1927
Architect: David Castle
The Reagan County Courthouse is located in Big Lake, Texas.”The Stiles Courthouse was the first substantial courthouse built in Reagan County. The rusticated stone complex, consisting of the courthouse and jail and a separate stone vault, was built on the Public Square in 1911. The four symmetrical facades of the courthouse were a source of pride for Reagan County citizens until the county seat was moved to Big Lake in 1925.
“The new courthouse was built of native stone quarried from a hillside a half a mile from the site.
“… the court awarded the contract to William Martin of Comanche, Texas. Mr. Martin was required to begin work immediately and have the building completed in eight months The new courthouse was finished and inspected by the Commissioners Court on October 25, 1911.
“The courthouse is a square building, 50′ long at each elevation. The four facades of the two-story limestone rusticated structure are identical and symmetrically organized in an A-B-A pattern. The center section of the facade consists of a projecting one-story stone portico with arched entranceway.” From the National Register narrative
David Castle had this to say about his architectural practice in Big Lake in a newspaper article dated October 11, 1950:
“Castle says that over half of his business is repeats. ‘Take the growing city of Big Lake. We built their courthouse about 20 years ago. Later we designed their high school, then a gym, and later a large elementary school and cafeteria. And their hospital [designed by Castle] has been use by the State Health Department as a model of an outstanding small hospital. Now Big Lake has come back for a nice Baptist Church.’ ”
The Abilene, Texas, Reporter-News
