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THE
LOVE SONG OF J. RIELY GORDON
A series of photo essays of courthouses designed
by J.R.G.
The
Fayette County Courthouse
c. 1891
La Grange, Texas
Text and Photos
by John Troesser
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Fayette
County Courthouse Tower
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Part
I - The
Courthouse
County and Seat
La Grange
is the county seat of Fayette County.
The name comes from the Marquis
de Lafayette's estate in France which translates as "The Meadows". After the (American)
Revolution, it seemed that America couldn't name enough towns after the Marquis
- and many of them remain today. At last count there were something like 16 towns
across the United States named directly or indirectly after the Frenchman. Since
there was already a Fayetteville in Fayette County - the citizens here settled
for La Grange.
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Fayette
is one of the most historic counties in the state of Texas. The Muster
Oak - or Dawson Oak - on the NE corner of the square attests to that. The
tree is looking much better than it has in years past - despite the fact that
a good deal of its trunk is now concrete. Special attention has been given to
the tree - and it's paid off.
A fire has recently (2000) destroyed a
historic corner in downtown La Grange - but this will be made right - count on
it. The square itself dates back to a time before a standard driving pattern existed
for small towns across Texas. Please pay attention to the flow of traffic around
the square when you visit - and watch the cars that are parked in between two
traffic lanes. Corner intersections are NOT all four way stops. |
The
Building:
The understated Fayette County courthouse is not one of Gordon's
"wedding cake" efforts like Waxahachie or Waco. It's a relatively utilitarian
building - as it was designed to be. The detail is there - it just doesn't hit
you at first glance.
Gordon often employed a cruciform floor plan (on
his courthouses with a square floor plan) that drew air up through the entrances
and staircases through a central shaft. It must have been a blessing to civil
servants before air-conditioning.
For an informative no-nonsense description
of the courthouse - we turn to Richard Zelade's Hill Country:
"The most visually arresting building on the square is, of course, the
Fayette County Courthouse, built in 1891 to the tune of $96,000. The finished
product was well worth the cost, don't you agree?
The exterior walls
are Belton white limestone, complemented with blue sandstone quarried at nearby
Muldoon. Red Pecos sandstone stringcourses (decorative horizontal mouldings) and
pink Burnet granite columns and steps form rich accents. At the base of the clock
tower is a large stone slab on which is carved a large American eagle. Above this,
at the tower's four corners, are carved griffins. The roof is covered with slate
and Spanish tile."
Part
II. The Clock Tower - next page
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