| |
Text and Photos by Sam Fenstermacher |
County
- Hopkins
County Seat - Sulphur
Springs
County Population - (2000) 28,833
Hopkins
County Courthouse
Constructed 1895
Architect J. Riely Gordon
Style - Romanesque
Revival
Material - Granite and sandstone
Designation National Register
Listing - 1977
Texas Historic Landmark – 1975 |
April 2004
photo |
Hopkins
County History
The Texas State Legislature created Hopkins County from land formerly in Lamar
and Nacogdoches counties in March of 1846. The county was named in honor of a
prominent local pioneer family. The original county seat of Hopkins County was
named in honor of General Edward H. Tarrant. The town of Tarrant
was created at the geographic center of Hopkins County as required by Texas law
at that time. In 1847 a post office was established in Tarrant.
The town of Tarrant
remained the county seat of Hopkins County until the Post-Civil War Reconstruction
period. In 1870 a special act of the Texas Legislature declared Sulphur
Springs the permanent county seat of Hopkins County.
|
A 1906 view
of
the courthouse and square.
Postcard courtesy James Perkins |
The courthouse
as it appeared in 1939 Photo courtesy TXDoT |
Hopkins
County Courthouse and Town Square
The town square in Sulphur
Springs is a dramatically different place. A vintage J.
Riely Gordon courthouse occupies the northeast corner of the spacious town
square. This offset location is both by choice and chance. The previous courthouse
was built on the east side of the original town square. When that building burned
down in 1894, a decision was made to buy additional property east of the town
square and build the present day courthouse on the northeast corner of the enlarged
town square.
The net result of all these events in Hopkins County is
a spacious public square with plenty of room for parking and public gathering.
Along the eastern side of the square there's a bandstand and a small yard with
trees and benches. The parking lot and walkways on the square are paved with red
bricks. This adds a vintage feel to the place, and also creates a dramatic approach
to the county courthouse.
Sulphur
Springs Hotels >
Book Your Hotel Here
& Save |
| | A
close up view of the Hopkins County Courthouse
Photo courtesy Sam Fenstermacher,
April 2004 |
| This J.
Riely Gordon courthouse has two entrances rather than four. Because the Hopkins
County courthouse sits on the northeast corner of the town square it has entrances
facing northwest and southwest. Many other J.
Riely Gordon designed courthouses of this vintage feature four entrances on
the corners of the building. The position of the courthouse on the square made
this impractical and dictated the use of two entrances which both faced out onto
the public square. |
| | A
face carved in red sandstone on the south side of the courthouse.
Photo
courtesy Sam Fenstermacher, April 2004 |
| Pink
granite and red sandstone are the predominant materials used for construction
of the exterior facades. Massive Roman arched at the entrances are topped by second-story
poritcos which in turn are crowned by third-story open porches. Just below the
roof line a band of square stones of two colors set in a checkerboard pattern
adds contrast and accents red sandstone arches above third story windows. |
| | Hopkins
County Courthouse central tower
Photo courtesy Sam Fenstermacher, April
2004 |
The
courthouse in Hopkins County is similar in many ways to all the other
county courthouses J. Riely Gordon designed for nearby Texas counties. One
notable difference is the omission of a clock in the central tower.
According to a story on the Hopkins County Texas web site (http://www.hopkinscountytx.org/history/courthouse.htm)
citizens did ask for a clock to be placed in the courthouse tower. County officials
decided a clock in the tower would be alright but wouldn't provide funding for
it. The matter was discussed avidly among the town's people, but nothing was ever
done. Hopkins County Commissioner R. Carpenter had his own opinion about the clock
and he let it be known, "Get up at sunup; go to bed at dark, and eat when you
are hungry, and you don't need no d_ _ _ clock."
Sulphur
Springs Hotels >
Book Your Hotel Here
& Save |
| | A
view from the southwest entrance to the Hopkins County Courthouse. An enormous
old Magnolia tree cloaks the south side of the building in cool shade.
Photo courtesy Sam Fenstermacher, April 2004 |
Soon
after you come into the courthouse through the southwest entrance you're confronted
by the huge iron door of a fireproof vault. The door has been very skilfully striped
of its many coats of old finish. The work is interesting because it gives you
a little insight into how historians determine the original finish and markings
that are concealed under decades of paint and deterioration. Still the mammoth
old door has an unfinished appearance. A quick look around might also reveal to
you that the beautiful stone flooring around you has been repaired rather than
replaced. The color of some of the little tiles are brighter than the bulk of
the flooring.
Apparently someone decided it was far better to retain
most of the existing flooring rather than to replace it all. The vault door may
have been left unfinished for many reasons. One possible reason might be that
it didn't fit in the budget for the most recent restoration of the building. This
is all speculation, but it gives us a little insight into how these old buildings
are being restored. At some point the general contractor doing the restoration
work and the officials of the county government have to make hard decisions about
which repairs are the most worthy. There isn't an infinite amount of money available
to complete the project. The Texas State Historical Commission will make every
effort to preserve the original features of the courthouse unless they really
don't make sense in a modern public building. Although the final results of the
restoration of the Hopkins County courthouse are truly grand, many tough decisions
and compromises were very likely required to achieve that end.
Exposed
arched corrugated iron panels form the ceiling of the first floor. These panels
fit in between iron beams and were used to support the weight of concrete used
for floors for the second story. This construction method isn't unusual for courthouses
built around this time in Texas, but it's not common
to other J. Riely Gordon courthouse in this area of the state. Bare concrete is
used for flooring in office areas on the second and third floors and on the exterior
porticos and porches.
The District Courtroom is reminiscent of the one
in the nearby Ellis
County Courthouse. The courtroom occupies one side of the building on the
second floor with additional seating in a balcony on the third floor. This courtroom
is smaller than the one in Ellis County. The seating provided for the public is
curved wooden benches. Exposed concrete flooring is evident. Many smaller details
of this room are also reminiscent of the courtroom in Ellis County. For example,
the iron poles that support the balcony where it overhangs the main courtroom
appear to be identical to those used in Ellis County.
When comparing
J. Riely Gordon courthouses it often seems to be the case that they will be similar
in many ways, but each plan has its own unique twist. That way each county ended
up with what they wanted which was a grand courthouse like the one Gordon designed
for their neighboring county, but with enough unique features and architectural
details so that no one would ever dare call them identical.
Sulphur
Springs Hotels >
Book Your Hotel Here
& Save |
| | Spiral
Stair extending from third floor to air vent in tower.
Photo courtesy
Sam Fenstermacher, April 2004 |
Like
so many other J.
Riely Gordon courthouses of this vintage, a central staircase provides transport
to the upper floors of the building. This staircase is immediately surrounded
by a gallery that provides a connection to the various offices of the building.
This design produces excellent ventilation, and ventilation was so important in
Texas before air conditioning. In the case of the
Hopkins County courthouse a hinged skylight in the tower provides a way to allow
hot air to flow out of the building.
The way to open the vent in the
tower becomes apparent as you round the last turn on the stairs heading up to
the third floor. It's here you'll come upon a black iron spiral staircase that
extends up to the skylight in the tower. This stair is quite dramatic to see as
it extends up to the center of the building a great distance above. The dust on
the stair treads suggests that these steps are rarely used. Because of modern
air conditioning, the vent is of little use. On the other hand, the accent lights
that so effectively emphasize the black spiral stair against the solid white walls
suggests that in modern times the spiral staircase functions more as an artistic
element than as a staircase.
Before turning your attention away from
the courthouse, a few additional moments should be spent discovering the details
of the courthouse's exterior. In several places around the building the stone
carvers were apparently given a little free space to show off their best work.
In the center of the north and south sides of the building, below small balconies,
you'll find faces carved in stone. Up high on the west side of the building the
date of construction is conspicuously encircled within an elaborately carved cartouche.
Sulphur
Springs Hotels >
Book Your Hotel Here
& Save |
| | Heavily
carved cartouche showing "1894" date of construction on the west side
of the building.
Photo courtesy Sam Fenstermacher, April 2004 |
Hopkins
County rededicated its historic courthouse in December of 2002. More than three
million dollars in restoration work was funded through The Texas Historic Courthouse
Preservation Program. This classic J. Riely Gordon courthouse has probably never
looked better than it does now. Go see it.
Book
Your Hotel Here & Save
Sulphur
Springs Hotels
More
Hotels |
More
Information
Hopkins County maintains an Official web site at – http://www.hopkinscountytx.org/.
This is a wonderful source of information about the history of the area.
Many of the dates and facts presented in this document were gleaned from the pages
of the county web site.
Bibliography:
Texas Historical Commission,
Texas Historic Sites Atlas., 2004.
http://atlas.thc.state.tx.us/
Copyright © 2004
by Sam Fenstermacher All rights reserved
Sulphur
Springs Hotels >
Book Your Hotel Here
& Save |
A
county seat’s troubles by Bob Bowman
Tarrant
as Hopkins County’s first seat of government, and how Sulphur Springs became Hopkins
County seat. |
| Readers'
Comments:
Without hesitation, I may have had an experience with the Hopkins
County Courthouse that few others have ever had... next
page | |
|
