007 of 254 Coke County Courthouse, Robert Lee, Texas. County Population: 3,320
Coke County, Texas
"Coke County, in West Central Texas, is bounded on the east by Runnels County, on the south by Tom Green County, on the west by Sterling County, and on the north by Mitchell and Nolan counties. It was named for Richard Coke, a Texas governor.
"The terrain includes prairie, hills, and the Colorado River valley; sandy loam and red soils predominate. The elevation varies from 1,800 feet in the south to 2,600 feet in the north, where Nipple Mountain, Meadow Mountain, Horse Mountain, and Hayrick Mountain are located. Its 911-square-mile area is drained by the north branch of the Colorado River and Yellow Wolf Creek.
"In 1851 Fort Chadbourne, in the northeast part of the future county, was established by the United States Army to protect the frontier; the fort was manned until the Civil War. The Butterfield Overland Mail ran through the area from 1858 to 1861.
"The Texas legislature established Coke County in 1889, carving it out of territory previously assigned to Tom Green County; the county was organized that same year, with Hayrick as county seat.
"In 1891, after an election, the new town of Robert Lee became the county seat; Robert E. Lee had once served at Fort Chadbourne. Early settlers named a new town Bronte, after English writer Charlotte Brontë; another was named Tennyson, in honor of the English laureate.
Handbook of Texas Online, William R. Hunt and John Leffler, "Coke County"
I visited Coke County and photographed the courthouse in Robert Lee on May 11, 2009 and May 21, 2012.
"The terrain includes prairie, hills, and the Colorado River valley; sandy loam and red soils predominate. The elevation varies from 1,800 feet in the south to 2,600 feet in the north, where Nipple Mountain, Meadow Mountain, Horse Mountain, and Hayrick Mountain are located. Its 911-square-mile area is drained by the north branch of the Colorado River and Yellow Wolf Creek.
"In 1851 Fort Chadbourne, in the northeast part of the future county, was established by the United States Army to protect the frontier; the fort was manned until the Civil War. The Butterfield Overland Mail ran through the area from 1858 to 1861.
"The Texas legislature established Coke County in 1889, carving it out of territory previously assigned to Tom Green County; the county was organized that same year, with Hayrick as county seat.
"In 1891, after an election, the new town of Robert Lee became the county seat; Robert E. Lee had once served at Fort Chadbourne. Early settlers named a new town Bronte, after English writer Charlotte Brontë; another was named Tennyson, in honor of the English laureate.
Handbook of Texas Online, William R. Hunt and John Leffler, "Coke County"
I visited Coke County and photographed the courthouse in Robert Lee on May 11, 2009 and May 21, 2012.
A painting of Fort Chadbourne in northeast Coke County. While there are hills in the area, the "mountains" in the background have since been moved to New Mexico!
Coke County Courthouse 1891
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Coke County courthouse, 1891. Image courtesy courthousehistory.com
The cornerstone of the 1891 courthouse, displayed in front of the current courthouse, states: "Martin Byrns & Johnson Archts & Contractors"
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The tower is missing. Circa 1939. Photo courtesy TXDOT
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Another view without the tower. Image courtesy courthousehistory.com
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Wilson Bryan Mini Park, Robert Lee, Texas. The Coke County courthouse is across 7th Street.
Coke County Courthouse 1956
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The front of the courthouse faces northeast, on 7th Street. The 1891 courthouse cornerstone is in the center of the photo, in front of the flagpole.
Looking northeast, the view from the courthouse entrance. The Robert Lee City Hall is on the left, under the awning.
The back of the courthouse faces southwest, on 6th Street. The stone wall may be the wall visible in the 1939 TXDOT photo above.
The northwest side of the courthouse.
The southeast side of the courthouse. Electrical service entrance and emergency generator are found here.
Deep sunscreens shade the glass block fenestration on the second floor courtroom walls that face southwest and northeast.
The southwest side of the second floor courtroom.
The northeast side of the second floor courtroom. Glass blocks let in a diffused light.
Austin Street, at the northeast corner of the courthouse square. The Wilson Bryan Mini Park is on the right,
The former Coke County jail is undergoing restoration. Apparently, the sheriff lived on the first floor and the prisoners were on the second floor.
A nice example of a stone clad house in Robert Lee.
