Texas Courthouses
There are 254 Texas counties, and many counties have more than one courthouse. Like other enthusiasts, I – with wife and dogs in tow – have set out to visit all of the historic Texas courthouses (yes, that’s a thing), and have dedicated this page to posting pictures and videos from our visits.
I have handled cases in many of these courthouses, but cannot choose a favorite. I love so many of them, but am partial to the designs of architects Alfred Giles and James Riely Gordon, both of whom were very active in and around San Antonio in the 1800s. I am also a fan of W.C. Dodson‘s designs, though his style varied significantly throughout his career.
I hope you enjoy experiencing the many architectural styles of these fantastic buildings. I will continue to add pictures to this page as we get the chance to experience “new” courthouses.
NOTES:
– All photos and videos on this page taken by Trey Wilson.
– This page is best viewed on on a desktop. The alignment and labels may be off when viewed from a mobile device.
– Click on the individual photos to enlarge. Some were taken with Canon cameras, and others with iPhones, so quality may vary.
– I make my living doing something other than taking pictures (practicing real estate law), so feel free to share or republish my photos if you are so inclined. I would appreciate photo attribution to @treywilsonattorneytx.
– I post some of the Courthouse photos I take on Instagram at @TreyWilsonAttorneyTx. Look for #texascourthouse and #countycourthouse to see additional pictures taken by me and other Texas courthouse enthusiasts. Sometimes I post short, cheesy courthouse videos to TikTok under my handle @treywilsonattorneytx.
– Learn about the Texas Historical Commission’s Courthouse Stewardship and Historic Courthouse Preservation Programs.
– A sampling of pictures from my visits to other courthouses, including the United States Supreme Court Building in Washington, D.C., will also be posted on this page. I have labeled the non-Texas, replaced and abandoned courthouses as “BONUS.”
– If you are interested in historical Texas Courthouses, here are some great websites:
- 254 Texas Courthouses
- TexasCourthouses.com
- Texas Courthouse Trail
- Texas Escapes
- Texas Association of Counties
- Texas Historic Commission Restored Courthouses
- Architexas Historic Texas Courthouses Projects page
The Texas State Historical Association‘s Handbook of Texas is my GO-TO resource for research into the counties I visit.
Reagan County Courthouse (Big Lake)
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...
Refugio County Courthouse (Refugio)
Year Built: 1919 Architect: Atlee B. Ayres The Refugio County Courthouse is located in Refugio, Texas. The county and city of Refugio are named after the Spanish Mission De Nuestra Señora Del Refugio (the Mission of our Lady of Refuge) established here in 1795. The...
Robertson County Courthouse (Franklin)
Year Built: 1882 Architect: F.E. Ruffini The Robertson County Courthouse is located in Franklin, Texas. Erected in 1882 at a cost of $30,000, this white limestone building is the fourth to serve as Robertson County Courthouse. In 1879 the county seat had been moved...
Rusk County Courthouse (Henderson)
Year Built: 1913 Architect: L. L. Thurman The Rusk County Courthouse is located in Henderson, Texas.The first courthouse was log structure built in 1843. The second courthouse was built by Cadawaller W Chaney, Joseph D Johnson and John Henderson in 1860. The...
Sabine County Courthouse (Hemphill)
Year Built: 1906 Architect: A. N. Dawson The Sabine County Courthouse is located in Hemphill, Texas. An 1858 election called for Sabine County offices to be moved from Milam (7 mi. N) to this more central location. The new county seat, Hemphill, was named for former...
San Augustine County Courthouse (San Augustine)
Year Built: 1927 Architect: Shirley Simons The San Augustine County Courthouse is located in San Augustine, Texas. San Augustine County Courthouse When the town of San Augustine was platted in 1834, this property was reserved for the public square, but it was another...
San Jacinto County Courthouse (Coldspring)
Year Built: 1916-17 Architect: Roy E. Lane & Wilkes A. Dowdy The San Jacinto County Courthouse is located in Coldspring, Texas.A fire in 1915 destroyed the San Jacinto County courthouse. Landowners donated land at this site and relocated the center of county...
Scurry County Courthouse (Snyder)
Year Built: 1911 Architect: Lang & Witchell The Scurry County Courthouse is located in Snyder, Texas. Seat of justice for Scurry County, created 1876 and organized 1884. Local landholders--R. H. Allen, Fred Barnard, R. H. Looney, C. C. McGinnis, C. H. McGinnis, T....
Shackleford County Courthouse (Albany)
Year Built: 1883 Architect: J. E. Flanders The Shackleford County Courthouse is located in Albany, Texas. Built 1883-84 from plans by J. E. Flanders of Dallas, architect for several other 1880s Texas courthouses. Edgar Rye of Albany was construction superintendent....
Shelby County Courthouse (Center)
Year Built: 1885 Architect: J. J. E. Gibson The Shelby County Courthouse is located in Center, Texas. Shelbyville, once known as Nashville, was the first county seat of government of the District of Tenaha, or Shelby County. The first courthouse stood on this site....
Somervell County Courthouse (Glen Rose)
Year Built: 1894 Architect: John Cormack The Somervell County Courthouse is located in Glen Rose, Texas. Built 1893. Late Victorian style. Native limestone construction. County was organized in 1875 and named for General Alexander Somervell (1796-1854), Texas soldier,...
Stephens County Courthouse (Breckenridge)
Year Built: 1926 Architect: David S. Castle The Stephens County Courthouse is located in Breckenridge, Texas. "The Stephens County Courthouse, designed in 1925 with construction spanning through 1926, creates a dramatic governmental landmark for both Stephens County...
Stonewall County Courthouse (Aspermont)
Year Built: 1891 Architect: Martin, Byrnes and Johnston The Stonewall County Courthouse is located in Aspermont, Texas. The Stonewall County Courthouse was erected in 1983 in a Modern style. The original county capitol built in the inaugural county seat of Rayner is...
Taylor County Courthouse (Abilene)
Year Built: 1972 Architect: Tittle, Luther, Loving, Lee The Taylor County Courthouse is located in Abilene, Texas. Featuring a variety of exterior materials such as brick, cast stone, and terracotta, the 1915 Taylor County Courthouse is a 3-story brick building with a...
Throckmorton County Courthouse (Throckmorton)
Year Built: 1890 Architect: Martin, Byrnes and Johnston The Throckmorton County Courthouse is located in Throckmorton, Texas. The Texas Legislature created Throckmorton County – named for pioneer doctor William E. Throckmorton – in 1858, with organization delayed...
Smith County Courthouse (Tyler)
Year Built: 1955 Architect: Thomas Jameson & Merrell The Smith County Courthouse is located in Tyler, Texas. Designed in a mid-century Modern style and finished with buff-colored brick, granite, and dark marble. The six-story central block is flanked with...
Upton County Courthouse (Rankin)
Year Built: 1926 Architect: David S. Castle The Upton County Courthouse is located in Rankin, Texas. Now abandoned, the town of Upland (10 miles N) was intended as a station on the rail line from St. Louis to Chihuahua, Mexico. It was also located near the stage route...
Walker County Courthouse (Huntsville)
Year Built: 1970 Architect: Joiner, Coburn & King The Walker County Courthouse is located in Huntsville, Texas. The first Walker County Courthouse was available for county commissioners court meetings in July 1848; the building was finally completed in the center...
Ward County Courthouse (Monahans)
Year Built: 1940 Architect: Townes & Funk The Ward County Courthouse is located in Monahans, Texas. A Three-story red sandstone courthouse with a domed cupola was constructed here in 1893, one year after Barstow was elected first Ward County seat. The first...
Hutchinson County Courthouse (Stinnett)
Year Built: 1927 Architect: William Townes The Hutchinson County Courthouse is located in Stinnett, Texas."Hutchinson County, in the north central section of the Panhandle, is bounded on the north by Hansford County, on the east by Roberts County, on the south by...
Wichita County Courthouse (Wichita Falls)
Year Built: 1980 Architect: Fields & Clarkson and Sanguiner & Pate The Wichita County Courthouse is located in Wichita Falls, Texas. The current Wichita County Courthouse was erected in 1916 and later remodeled with “an original courtroom charmingly ensconced...
Hemphill County Courthouse (Canadian)
Year Built: 1909 Architect: Robert G. Kirsch The Hemphill County Courthouse is located in Canadian, Texas. "Hemphill County lies in the rolling plains on the eastern edge of the Panhandle, east of the Texas High Plains. It is bordered on the east by Oklahoma,...
Hockley County Courthouse (Levelland)
Year Built: 1928 Architect: Preston Lee Walker The Hockley County Courthouse is located in Levelland, Texas. Formed from Young and Bexar territories. Created August 21, 1876. Organized February 19, 1921. Named in honor of George W. Hockley, commander of the artillery...
Hopkins County Courthouse (Sulphur Springs)
Year Built: 1895 Architect: J. Riely Gordon The Hopkins County Courthouse is located in Sulphur Springs, Texas. Located across from the main square, the Hopkins County Courthouse boasts a Romanesque Revival style as designed by J. Riely Gordon. Completed in 1895, this...
Ochiltree County Courthouse (Perryton)
Year Built: 1928 Architect: Mann & Co. The Ochiltree County Courthouse is located in Perryton, Texas. The Ochiltree County Courthouse was erected in 1928 in a Texas Renaissance style as designed by Mann & Co., with an addition completed in 1974 The...
Oldham County Courthouse (Vega)
Year Built: 1915 Architect: O. G. Roquemore The Oldham County Courthouse is located in Vega, Texas. The 1915 Oldham County Courthouse in Vega was designed by O.G. Roquemore in an altered Classical Revival style. The building’s hipped roof was removed in 1967. The...
Moore County Courthouse (Dumas)
Year Built: 1930 Architect: Berry & Hatch The Moore County Courthouse is located in Dumas, Texas. Land for this courthouse square was donated by Louis Dumas, who laid out the townsite in 1891. One year later, Moore County was formally organized as a government,...
Motley County Courthouse (Matador)
Year Built: 1948 Architect: Wyatt Hedrick The Motley County Courthouse is located in Matador, Texas. Formed from Young and Bexar territories; created August 21, 1876, organized February 5, 1891. Named in honor of Dr. Junius William Motley, 1812-1836, signer of the...
Montague County Courthouse (Conroe)
Year Built: 1912 Architect: George Burnett The Montague County Courthouse is located in Conroe, Texas. The state legislature established the Montague County on Christmas Eve in 1857. The following year, on August 2, 1858, the county was formally organized with its...
Potter County Courthouse (Amarillo)
Year Built: 1932 Architect: W.C. Townes of Townes, Lightfoot and Funk of Amarillo The Potter County Courthouse is located in Amarillo, Texas. The 1932 Potter County Courthouse is one of the best preserved and exceptional examples of Art Deco buildings in Texas. Listed...