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Sterling
County Courthouse
County Seat - Sterling City, TexasSterling
County has had three courthouses:
1891, 1905 and 1938
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Sterling
County Courthouse today
Photo courtesy Barclay
Gibson, December 2009 |
The Present
Sterling County Courthouse
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Sterling
City, TexasDate
- 1938
Architect - David S. Castle
Style - Texas Renaissance
Material
- Brick |
Sterling County Courthouse as it appeared in 1939
Photo courtesy TXDoT |
Photographer's Note:
One of the first things I look for when I go inside a county courthouse is old
pictures of the former courthouse or courthouses. The Sterling County Museum was
closed during my visit, so I hoped that I would find some pictures inside the
1938 courthouse.
According to the THC, Sterling County's first courthouse
was designed by Oscar Ruffini in 1891. Oscar
and his brother Frederick designed many Texas county courthouses in the late
1800s. When a new courthouse was built in Sterling County in 1905, the 1891 courthouse
was turned into a hotel. I found no pictures of either building inside the courthouse.
My search led me to the office of the Justice of the Peace. I talked to
the woman who was there (I'm assuming it was the Justice of the Peace) but she
didn't know about the 1891 courthouse. She told me that the 1905 courthouse was
very similar to the 1901 Irion County
courthouse built (and still standing) in Sherwood,
the first Irion County seat.
Although my search for pictures of previous
Sterling County courthouses came up empty on this trip, many courthouses in Texas
proudly display photos or drawings or paintings of previous courthouses that may
no longer be around but are still part of their county history. - Terry
Jeanson, August 9, 2008 |
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Sterling
County Courthouse plaque
Photo courtesy Terry
Jeanson, August 2006 |
| Sterling
County Courthouse
Photo courtesy Ken
Rudine, August 2005 | |
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