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, county records were moved to Jacksboro 1865 during renewed Indian trouble. County was reorganized 1874 with Graham, county seat. Courthouse (of which only archway remains) was built 1884. Native sandstone for the two-story structure was quarried east of Graham by Irish workers. N. J. Rosenquist, a native of Sweden and builder of Texas courthouses, was chief stonemason. Building had two halls in form of Greek cross–a plan that followed points of the compass. (Archway belonged to east hall.) Officials at the time of construction were: County Judge, R. F.Arnold; Treasurer, J. W. Wadley; County Clerk, C. O. Joline; Tax Assessor, J. G. Hill; County Attorney, J. A. Woolfolk; Sheriff, W. T. Bunger; County Commissioners, W. C. Blakey, J. J. Hughes, J. . Mercer and H. D. Williams. Courthouse was razed in 1932 after completion of present structure. A. A. Morrison, fire marshal, led efforts to preserve historic archway during street improvements in 1936. During its existence, this Courthouse witnessed and preserved the records of many historic events of Young County.
Withers & Thompsen also designed the Menard County Courthouse.
The relief work is impressive, and the oft’ present eagle adds an air of formality and power. As of 2023, the Confederate soldiers monument stands on the courthouse grounds.
Personal Note About My Visit: I visited this Courthouse early on a Saturday morning with my dog who was a pup at the time. He got his leash tangled in my hand and when I went to pull the leash back, my wedding ring slipped off, hit the sidewalk and bounced into a newly mulched landscape bed. I searched for it on my hands and knees for an hour with a puppy pulling at the leash and playing. For awhile, I was really afraid I would never find it. I even thought about walking over to the Sheriff’s office and asking if they had a metal detector!
I am a big fan of Ten Commandments monuments on the Courthouse lawn, and this highly polished example did not disappoint!
