Marion County Courthouse (Jefferson)
Architect: Elmer George Withers.
Year Built: 1913.
The Marion County Courthouse is located in the quaint East Texas town of Jefferson. It is almost identical to the Roberts County Courthouse, as both were designed by Architect Elmer G. Withers. Withers also designed the following Texas Courthouses:
- Jones
- Armstrong
- Menard
- Ector
- Upshur
- Archer County (1925 remodel)
According to the Norman Alston Architects firm, which prepared an approved preservation master plan as prescribed by the Texas Historic Courthouse Preservation Program:
The popular story contends that the current courthouse, constructed in 1913, was originally planned for Roberts County in the Texas Panhandle. After letting the contract for construction, Roberts County realized that the courthouse would be much too larger for their needs. The materials had already been paid for and were in transit, but the contractor was able to sell much of the “excess” material to Marion County for their new courthouse. Today, the Marion and Roberts County Courthouses stand as almost identical buildings.
Click below for some great media coverage of the recent THC renovation of the Marion County Courthouse:
