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.
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...
Wheeler County Courthouse (Wheeler)
Year Built: 1925 Architect: E. H. Eads The Wheeler County Courthouse is located in Wheeler, Texas.
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...
Aransas County Courthouse (Rockport)
Year Built: 1956 Architect: Lynn A. Evans The Aransas County Courthouse is located in Rockport, Texas. As of this writing, Courts in Aransas County are operating out of rented space in a shopping center (see below). Hurricane Harvey destroyed the 1956 Courthouse in...
Harris County Historic Courthouse
Year Built: 1910 Architect: Charles Erwin Barglebaugh (Lang and Witchell) The Historic 1910 Harris County Courthouse is located in downtown Houston. From the Historical Marker: This site has served as the Courthouse Square for Harris (originally Harrisburg) County...
Zavala County Courthouse (Crystal City)
Year Built: 1970 Architect: Gene P. Hobart Cost: $475,000 The Zavala County Courthouse is located in Crystal City, Texas. It is one of my least favorite Texas Courthouses, and is in poor condition. A new courthouse annex, which will become the new courthouse is under...
Young County Courthouse (Graham)
Year Built: 1932 Architect: Withers & Thompson The Young County Courthouse is located in Graham, Texas. From the 1969 Historical Marker: Young County was organized in 1856 with Belknap designated as county seat. After retreat of frontier troops during Civil War,...
Wood County Courthouse (Quitman)
Year Built: 1925 Architect: C. H. Leinbach The Wood County Courthouse is located in Quitman, Texas. From the 2003 marker text: The Texas Legislature created Wood County in 1850 with Quitman as the county seat. The county first used a log courthouse on the south side...
Wise County Courthouse (Decatur)
Year Built: 1897 Architect: J. Riely Gordon The Wise County Courthouse is located in Decatur, Texas. This is another masterpiece from my favorite courthouse architect, J. Riley Gordon. It has been listed in the National Register of Historic Places since 1976. From the...
Wilbarger County Courthouse (Vernon)
Year Built: 1928 Architect: Voelcker & Dixon The Wilbarger County Courthouse is located in Vernon, Texas. Boasting a Classical Revival style, the Wilbarger County Courthouse was designed by Voelcker and Dixon architects of Wichita Falls, and completed in 1928. The...
Val Verde County Courthouse (Del Rio)
Year Built: 1887 Architect: Jacob Larmour & A.O. Watson The Val Verde County Courthouse is located in Del Rio, Texas. Organized in 1885 from sections of Crockett, Kinney, and Pecos Counties, Val Verde County was named for a Civil War battle in New Mexico which...
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...
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,...
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...
Mitchell County Courthouse (Colorado City)
Year Built: 1924 Architect: David Castle The Mitchell County Courthouse is located in Colorado City, Texas. Architects and Builders: Martin, Byrns & Johnston of Colorado City. This courthouse is copied from the 1883 Bastrop County courthouse, designed by J. W....
Midland County Courthouse (Midland)
Year Built: 1974 Architect: Dixon & Staley The Midland County Courthouse is located in Midland, Texas.The Wichita Falls architectural firm of (Herbert) Voelcher & (Jesse) Dixon designed the 1930 Midland County courthouse. The building combined Modern elements...
Matagorda County Courthouse (Bay City)
Year Built: 1965 Architect: Rusty, Martin & Vale The Matagorda County Courthouse is located in Bay City, Texas. Eugene T. Heiner was the architect for this building in the Second Empire style. Subsequently, the drawings for the courthouse were purchased by...
Martin County Courthouse (Stanton)
Year Built: 1975 Architect: Riherd & Huckabee The Martin County Courthouse is located in Stanton, Texas. The Martin County Courthouse was built in 1975 in a Modern style as designed by Riherd & Huckabee. The inaugural county capitol was erected in 1886 for...
Madison County Courthouse (Madisonville)
Year Built: 1970 Architect: Dickson, Dickson, Buckley & Bullock The Madison County Courthouse is located in Madisonville, Texas. Completed in 1970, the Madison County Courthouse was designed by Dickson, Dickson, Buckley & Bullock in a Modern style and...
Lynn County Courthouse (Tahoka)
Year Built: 1916 Architect: W. R. Rice The Lynn County Courthouse is located in Tahoka, Texas. In 1876 the Texas legislature created Lynn county, which organized in 1903 with Tahoka as county seat. A two-story frame structure on this site served as courthouse until...
Lubbock County Courthouse (Lubbock)
Year Built: 1950 Architect: Haynes & Kirby The Lubbock County Courthouse is located in Lubbock, Texas. The Lubbock County Courthouse was built in 1950 in a Moderne style as designed by Haynes & Kirby, and expanded in 1968. Lubbock County was created in 1876...
Llano County Courthouse (Llano)
Year Built: 1893 Architect: A. O. Watson and Jacob Larmour The Llano County Courthouse is located in Llano, Texas. The 1892 courthouse, designed by the firm of A. 0. Watson, replaced a 1884 courthouse that was destroyed by fire. The ground floor is divided into four...
Lipscomb County Courthouse (Lipscomb)
Year Built: 1916 Architect: W. M. Rice The Lipscomb County Courthouse is located in Lipscomb, Texas.
Lamb County Courthouse (Littlefield)
Year Built: 1955 Architect: Atcheson & Atkinson The Lamb County Courthouse is located in Littlefield, Texas.
Lamar County Courthouse (Paris)
Year Built: 1917 Architect: Barry & Smith and Sanguinet & Staats The Lamar County Courthouse is located in Paris, Texas.
Knox County Courthouse (Benjamin)
Year Built: 1935 Architect: Voelcker & Dickson The Knox County Courthouse is located in Benjamin, Texas.
Kinney County Courthouse (Brackettville)
Year Built: 1910 Architect: L.L. Thurman of Dallas The Kinney County Courthouse is located in Brackettville, Texas. Kinney County Courthouse Human inhabitation of Kinney County began thousands of years ago. Spanish expeditions through the area began in 1535 and...
King County Courthouse (Guthrie)
Year Built: 1982 Architect: T. Renfro The King County Courthouse is located in Guthrie, Texas.
Kent County Courthouse (Jayton)
Year Built: 1957 Architect: Wyatt Hedrick The Kent County Courthouse is located in Jayton, Texas. Kent County has been home to two temples of justice. The inaugural courthouse was raised in the original county seat of Clairemont in 1893 in an Italianate style as...
Kenedy County Courthouse (Sarita)
Year Built: 1917 Architect: Henry Truman Phelps The Kenedy County Courthouse is located in Sarita, Texas. San Antonio architect Henry T. Phelps designed this classic 3-story courthouse for Willacy County in 1917. However, when Kenedy County was created from Willacy...