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Glasscock County Courthouse
Photo courtesy Barclay
Gibson, December 2009 |
| Oil
Painting of old
courthouse/jail and current Glasscock County courthouse displayed in the lobby
of the current courthouse. Photo courtesy Terry
Jeanson, June 2006 |
| Glasscock
County Courthouse and Jail historical marker on the courthouse ground. Photo courtesy
Barclay
Gibson, December 2009 |
Historical
Marker TextGlasscock
County Courthouse and JailOn
May 9, 1893, a little over one month from the date of Glasscock County's formal
organization, the first county commissioner's court issued bonds to erect a combination
courthouse/jail building. L. T. Noyes of Houston, with the assistance of plasterer
William T. Lovell, completed the structure on February 12, 1894. Originally, the
ground floor of the building was used for court sessions and the second floor
used as the jail.
The 2-story
stone building, later used only as a jail,
features subtle Classical influences, including corner pilasters and a tall corbelled
cornice.
County bonds issued through the First State Bank of Garden City
in 1909 were used to employ Mutual Construction Company, Inc. of Louisville, Kentucky,
and architects Edward C. Hasford & Co., of Dallas, to build a new courthouse.
The 2 1/2 story Classical Revival structure, constructed of 3-foot thick native
stone from a local ranch owned by Steve Calverley, was completed on August 27,
1910. It features colossal Doric columns supporting its open pediment and a horizontal
belt course which follows its 2nd floor window sills.
The current Glasscock
County Courthouse has been in continuous use since 1910. The original courthouse/jail
structure was replaced by a new jail in 1980.
Recorded
Texas Historic Landmarks - 1962 |
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Glasscock
County historical marker on the courthouse lawn
Photo courtesy Barclay
Gibson, December 2009 |
Historical
Marker TextGlasscock
CountyCreated in
1887. Organized 1893, with Garden City county seat. Named for George W. Glasscock
(1810-68), flatboating partner of Abraham Lincoln in Illinois. Came to Texas 1834
and fought 1835-36 in the War for Independence from Mexico. Built first Central
Texas flour mill, Williamson County. Georgetown
was named for him. Was in Texas Legislature, 1864- 68.
Of the 254 Texas
counties, 42 bear Indian, French or Spanish names. 10 honor such colonizers as
Stephen F. Austin, "Father of Texas". 12 were named for Washington, Clay, and
other American patriots. 96 were named for men like Glasscock who fought in the
Texas War for Independence (15 dying at the Alamo),
signed the Declaration of Independence, or served as statesmen in the Republic
of Texas.
23 have the names of frontiersmen and pioneers. 11 honor American
statesmen who worked for the annexation of Texas; 10, leaders in Texas since statehood,
including jurists, ministers, educators, historians, statesmen; and 36, men prominent
in the Confederacy during the Civil War.
Midland and 8 others have geographical
names. San Jacinto and Val Verde were named for battles. Live Oak and Orange for
trees, and Mason for a Fort. |
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The
1909 Glasscock County Courthouse today
Photo courtesy Barclay
Gibson, March 2002 |
Another
view of the Glasscock County Courthouse
Photo courtesy Barclay
Gibson, March 2002 |
The
Glasscock County Courthouse as it appeared in 1939
Photo courtesy TXDoT |
| The (1894)
County Jail also sits on the courthouse square. This building was the courthouse
before the present one was built. | |
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