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Mills
County Courthouse under restoration
Photo courtesy Terry
Jeanson, October 2010 |
The Present
Mills County Courthouse -
Goldthwaite, TexasCompleted
in 1913 after their first
courthouse (c. 1890) burned
Architect - Henry Phelps
Style - Classical
Revival
Material - Brick, stone and concrete
Address - 1011 Fourth St
Recorded
Texas Historic Landmark
"In January of 2008, Mills County was awarded
a grant of $5 million by the Texas Historical Commission for the restoration of
their courthouse." - Terry
Jeanson
Mills
County Courthouse Historical Marker |
The
1913 Mills County courthouse as it appeared in 1939
Photo courtesy TXDoT |
Historical
Marker TextMills
County CourthouseMills
County Courthouse Mills County was formed in 1887, and citizens built a county
jail in Goldthwaite the following year. In 1889, Goldthwaite was chosen county
seat, and Oscar Ruffini designed the first courthouse; it served at this site
from 1890 through 1912, when it was destroyed by fire. The county hired noted
San Antonio architect Henry T. Phelps to design this courthouse, completed in
1913 by the Gordon-Jones Construction Company. Phelps chose the Classical Revival
style for the three-story structure with basement, using a rectangular form, a
central, ornamental pediment and fluted, engaged columns.
Recorded Texas Historic Landmark - 2002 |
Mills
County Courthouse historical marker
Photo courtesy Terry
Jeanson, April 2005 |
Mills
County Courthouse Rotunda
Photo courtesy Terry
Jeanson, January 2006 |
The
first (1890) Mills County Courthouse and courthouse square
1908 photo courtesy
texasoldphotos.com |
The
1890 Mills County Courthouse
1907 photo courtesy texasoldphotos.com |
| "The cornerstone
from the 1890 courthouse, which burned in 1912, is sitting in front of the current
courthouse. The architect, Oscar Ruffini, used the same plans for the 1891 Sutton
County Courthouse. The plans were also previously used by the architect's
brother, Frederick Ruffini, to design courthouses in Blanco
County, Callahan County and Concho
County." - Terry
Jeanson, October 2010 |
Photographer's
Note:
"It seems funny that this central Texas county was organized
after some of the Panhandle counties. One of my favorite articles on TE is "Sagging
Symbols" by Dwight Young. Mr. Young makes a reference to some of the Texas
courthouses being "the architectural paperweight that kept the town from blowing
away." I think that is certainly true in Goldthwaite."
- Terry
Jeanson, October 12, 2010 | |
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