Texas has more historic courthouses than any other state with
more than 242 courthouses still standing that are at least 50
years old, about 80 were built during the late 1800s which is
known as "The Golden Age of Texas Courthouses". During this
time, competition among county seats and pride created some
of the most beautiful courthouses in Texas. Courthouses
featured here are over 80 years old and listed by counties.
Now include pictures of old county jails.
LIST OF COUNTIES IN TEXAS Photos taken by Webmaster.
ANDERSON COUNTY
County Seat: Palestine
Built: 1914
Style: Renaissance Revival
Status: active courthouse
Note: National Register of Historic Places
ARMSTRONG COUNTY
County Seat: Claude
Built: 1912
Style: Classical Revival
Status: active courthouse
View: Enlarge
Note: 2nd. courthouse
ATASCOSA COUNTY
County Seat: Jourdanton
Built: 1912
Style: Mission-style
Status: active courthouse
View: Enlarge
Note: Building has identical entries on
each side. No town square.
BANDERA COUNTY
County Seat: Bandera
Built: 1890
Style: 2nd Renaissance Revival
Status: active courthouse
View: Enlarge
Note: First permanent courthouse
BASTROP COUNTY
County Seat: Bastrop
Built: 1883
Style: Renaissance Revival
Status: active courthouse
View: Enlarge
Note: 3rd courthouse, remodeled in 1923
Jail: Old County Jail - serviced as a
jail until 1974.
BELL COUNTY
County Seat: Belton
Built: 1884
Style: Renaissance Revival
Status: active courthouse
Note: The tower & dome were removed in the
1950s but rebuilt in 1999. The first
courthouse was a log cabin built in 1852.
BEXAR COUNTY
County Seat: San Antonio
Built: 1897
Style: Renaissance Revival
Status: active courthouse
Note: The largest historic courthouse in Texas.
BLANCO COUNTY
County Seat: Johnson City
Built: 1916
Style: Classical Revival
Status: active courthouse
This beautiful limestone courthouse was build in
Blanco in 1886. Four years later the county seat
was moved to Johnson City. Over the years this
building has been used as a hospital, school,
museum, and restaurant before closing in the
1980s. It was renovated by the Old Blanco
County Courthouse Preservation Society in 1998
and now houses offices and a visitor center.
BORDEN
County Seat: Gail
Built: 1939
Style: Moderne
Status: active courthouse
View: Enlarge
Note: 2nd courthouse
Jail: County jail
BOSQUE COUNTY
County Seat: Meridian
Built: 1886
Style: Renaissance Revival
Status: active courthouse
View: Enlarge
Note: Restored in 2007.
BREWSTER COUNTY
County Seat: Alpine
Built: 1888
Style: Second Empire
Status: active courthouse
Note: Brewster is the largest county in Texas.
BROWN COUNTY
County Seat: Brownwood
Built: 1917
Style: Classical Revival
Status: active courthouse
View: Enlarge
Jail: Old County Jail
BURNET COUNTY
County Seat: Burnet
Built: 1937
Style: Moderne
Status: active courthouse
View: Enlarge
Note: 3rd courthouse
CALDWELL COUNTY
County Seat: Lockhart
Built: 1894
Style: 2nd Empire
Status: active courthouse
View: Enlarge
Note: 3rd courthouse
CALLAHAN COUNTY
County Seat: Baird
Built: 1929
Style: Texas Renaissance
Status: active courthouse
View: Enlarge
Note: Cty seat moved from Belle Palin to Baird in 1883.
CAMP COUNTY
County Seat: Pittsburg
Built: 1928
Style: Classical Revival
Status: active courthouse
View: Enlarge
Note: Not located on a town square.
CASS COUNTY
County Seat: Linden
Built: 1861
Style: Classical Revival
Status: active courthouse
Note: Texas oldest operating courthouse.
CHEROKEE COUNTY
County Seat: Rusk
Built: 1941
Style: Contemporary
Status: active courthouse
CHILDRESS COUNTY
County Seat: Childress
Built: 1939
Style: Moderne
Status: active courthouse
View: Enlarge
CLAY COUNTY
County Seat: Henrietta
Built: 1884
Style: Italianate
Status: active courthouse
View: Enlarge
Note: Dome replaced clock tower after being built.
COLLIN COUNTY
County Seat: McKinney
Built: 1874
Style: Second Empire > Classical Revival
Status: Event center
View: Enlarge
Jail: Old County Jail - Notable prison guests
were Frank James & Charles "Tex" Watson.
Note: National Register of Historic Places
When this courthouse was built in 1874,
it was the tallest building in Texas
north of San Antonio. The Architect
built an almost exact replica in Lamar
Cty. It was completely remodeled in 1927 & has recently been renovated to be the home
to the performing arts, receptions cultural events and business meetings. A theater
organ (built for the Poncan Theater in Ponca City, OK in 1927) has been installed. A
new courthouse was built in 1979 a few blocks from the town square and after years of
service, it was torn down. The latest new courthouse has been constructed north of
McKinney. The first county seat was at Fort Buckner (4 miles west on Hwy. 380) where
the McKinney Trade Day was held for years.
COLORADO COUNTY
County Seat: Columbus
Built: 1891
Style: Renaissance Revival
Status: active courthouse
Note: National Register of Historic Places
4th courthouse.
COMAL COUNTY
County Seat: New Braunfels
Built: 1898
Style: Romanesque Revival
Status: active courthouse
Note: A recent $8.6 million renovation restores
courthouse to it's 1898 glory.
COMANCHE COUNTY
County Seat: Comanche
Built: 1939
Style: Contemporary
Status: active courthouse
This 1856 log building was used as a courthouse in
Cora before the country seat was moved to Comanche
in 1859. It maybe the oldest courthouse building
in Texas.
COOKE COUNTY
County Seat: Gainesville
Built: 1911
Style: Beaux-Arts
Status: active courthouse
Note: This is the 4th courthouse on this site. The
clock was added in 1920 as a WWI Memorial.
CORYELL COUNTY
County Seat: Gatesville
Built: 1897
Style: 2nd Empire Victorian
Status: active courthouse
View: Enlarge
Note: At each entrance are columns of Roman
Corinthian style