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The 1948 Crane
County Courthouse
Photo courtesy Terry
Jeanson, February 2013 |
Crane County
Courthouses History
Although formed
in 1887, the area of Crane
County remained sparsely settled until an oil boom in 1926 brought
in thousands of people the following year when Crane
County was officially organized. Realtor O.C. Kinnison arrived
in the area, opened an office and platted a townsite for Crane,
naming the streets for his sons and daughters. When the county was
organized, Crane
became the county seat. The county and county seat were named for
Baptist preacher and one time president of Baylor University, William
Carey Crane. Crane
County was one of the last Texas counties organized and the county
seat of Crane
is the only community in the entire county.
The county’s first
courthouse, built in 1927, was a small, two-story Mission-style
adobe building. In 1948, the second
courthouse was built. A much larger building, it was built of
brick and concrete with a red tile roof in a modern Mediterranean
style with a large central two-story section flanked by one story
wings. The 1927 courthouse was left on the property while the 1948
courthouse was being built and moved afterwards. (During my first
visit in 2006, the county judge told me that the 1927 courthouse was
moved to the high school football field for use as a storage shed
until it was burned down.) Within ten years, the 1948 courthouse was
deemed too small and a large rear addition was constructed in 1958,
designed by the architectural firm of Groos, Clift & Ball. The addition
drastically changed the building’s appearance and in essence a new
courthouse emerged with the former front entrance on the east side
being moved to the north side. This courthouse continues to serve
the county today.
- Terry
Jeanson
July 21, 2014
Source: County history and biographical information from The
Handbook of Texas Online. Courthouse information from The Texas Historical
Commission’s County Atlas at http://atlas.thc.state.tx.us/shell-county.htm |
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Courthouse front,
close-up
Photo
courtesy Terry
Jeanson, February 2013 |
Crane County
Courthouses
- Crane, Texas
Date
- 1948
Architect - Groos, Clift & Ball
Style - Modern
Material - Brick
Remodeled in 1958 |
The east side
entrance. This was the original front entrance to the building when
it was constructed in 1948.
Photo
courtesy Terry
Jeanson, February 2013 |
Dedication plaque
of the original 1948 building at the east entrance.
Photo courtesy Terry
Jeanson, February 2013 |
Dedication plaque
for the 1958 addition.
Photo courtesy Terry
Jeanson, February 2013 |
The 1948 Crane
County Courthouse before remodeling
Photo
Courtesy texasoldphotos.com |
A display cabinet
at the front entrance contains many historical photos, including this
one showing the construction of the 1948 courthouse (L) with the 1927
courthouse (white building) to the right.
Photo courtesy Terry
Jeanson, February 2013 |
The 1927 Crane
County Courthouse
1939 Photo
courtesy TXDoT |
Both
county (formed from land that had once been Tom Green County) and
city were named after Wm. Carey Crane who was founder of the old Baylor
University in Independence,
Texas.
Photo courtesy Terry
Jeanson, February 2013 |
William Carey
Crane
Historical Marker:
County named for William Carey Crane
(1816 – 1885)
Noted church leader, educator. A Virginian, received B.A. and M.A.,
George Washington University. Taught in Georgia, 1837 – 39; was ordained
Baptist minister, 1838. Was pastor of various leading churches; president
of two church colleges in Mississippi, 1851 – 60.
Came to Confederate Texas, 1863, as president, Baylor University –
position held 22 years. His work and use of his personal funds kept
Baylor open while many of state’s 25 colleges were closed.
First president, 1871, of Texas State Teachers Association and chairman,
committee to study public school reorganization.
(1965) |
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