Year Built: 1909.
Architect: Edward Columbus Hosford.
The Mason County Courthouse is located in the Texas Hill Country town of Mason. Mason is nicknamed the “Gem of the Hill Country.”
From the Historic Marker about the Mason County Courthouse:
Constructed in 1909, this is the third courthouse to serve the people of Mason County. Commissioners Court probably met in other locations until the first courthouse was built in 1872. It burned in 1877 and was replaced that year by a second red sandstone building. Designed by E. C. Hosford and built at a cost of $39,796, this Beaux Arts style courthouse features a center dome and clock tower, gable front porticoes with two-story Doric columns, and rusticated stonework with contrasting stone lintels. Recorded Texas Historic Landmark – 1988
Hosford also designed the Glasscock County Courthouse in Garden City, Texas, along with several others in Florida.
**Note: I took the first three pictures below in December 2020. The Courthouse burned as the result of arson less than 2 months later on February 4, 2021. The remaining pictures taken in October 2021.
The restoration project is underway, and the State of Texas granted Mason County $6 million, including a $4 million grant from the Texas Historic Commission Courthouse Preservation Program.
From the Texas Historic Commission:
The Mason County Courthouse was constructed in 1910 in the Classical Revival style out of local sandstone. The county completed construction documents with a Round VI Planning Grant. The Round XI Full Restoration Grant include a full exterior restoration of masonry, roofing, doors, windows, hazardous materials abatement, replacement of outdated mechanical and electrical systems, and the installation of a fire detection and notification. Historic finishes throughout the building will be restored to their original appearance.
Note: I did not take this picture of the Courthouse ablaze.
