Limestone County Courthouse (Groesbeck)

Architect: Rockwell Hezekiah (“R.H.”) Stuckey of Midwest Engineering.

Year Built: 1924.

The Limestone County Courthouse is located in the Central Texas town of Groesbeck.

At the time of our visit during the summer of 2021, the courthouse was undergoing restoration. However, it is a beautiful and monumental structure. I was surprised by how impressive it is, and how it seems to “sneak up” on you because it is situated in the die of the highway.

From the Limestone County Courthouse historical marker:

Limestone County was established in 1846. Springfield served as the first county seat, but geographic boundary changes and the burning of the Springfield Courthouse led to the designation of Groesbeck as the county seat in December 1873. Three more official courthouses served the county before the early 1920s. The county employed the midwest engineering company of Amarillo to draw up plans for a new structure in 1923. The William Rice Construction Company, also of Amarillo, received a contract for $300,000 to erect this structure. Rice had been the contractor for both the Lipscomb and Lynn County courthouses. A fine example of a classical revival building with beaux arts influences, the 1924 Limestone County Courthouse is a variation on the most common themes of early 20th century courthouses. Then-modern construction methods, such as reinforced concrete structural systems covered in brick and terra cotta, were employed. The elevations — classical columns flanking the windows, upper floors adorned with balustrades and elaborate cornucopia moldings — indicate that the edifice is intended to be viewed from all sides. The Limestone County Courthouse functions as the heart of Limestone County and it continues to be used for daily county governmental business. Recorded Texas Historic Landmark – 1998

Stuckey also designed the Hardeman County Courthouse in Quanah, Texas.