019 of 254: Medina County Courthouse, Hondo, Texas. County Population: 50,869
Medina County, Texas
"Medina County is immediately west of Bexar County in southwest Texas. Hondo, the county seat, is located near the geographic center of the county at 29°17' north latitude and 99°02' west longitude, 100 miles from the Mexican border at Eagle Pass. The Medina River, from which the county derives its name, traverses the northeastern portion of the county. The western part is drained by the Frio River. Medina County covers 1,331 square miles with elevations ranging from 1,995 feet in the northern Hill Country to as low as 635 feet in the southern region. The county is divided from east to west by the Balcones Escarpment, which separates the Edwards Plateauqqv and Hill Country to the north from the Rio Grande Plains to the south.
"Medina County was separated from Bexar County by the legislature on February 12, 1848, and enlarged on February 1, 1850, again gaining lands from Bexar County.
"The Galveston, Harrisburg and San Antonio Railway and the International and Great Northern Railroad extended their lines west and south through Medina
County in 1881 and 1882, respectively. The towns of Hondo, La Coste, Dunlay, and New D'Hanis were established along the GH&SA; the towns of Devine and Natalia were established along the IG&N. The citizens of Castroville, after having been given the initial opportunity to have the GH&SA pass through their township, voted against the issuance of bonds necessary to support such a route. The rapid commercial and population growth of the newly established railroad towns, particularly at Hondo and Devine, significantly altered the future demographic makeup of the county."
Ruben E. Ochoa, "MEDINA COUNTY," Handbook of Texas Online
"Medina County was separated from Bexar County by the legislature on February 12, 1848, and enlarged on February 1, 1850, again gaining lands from Bexar County.
"The Galveston, Harrisburg and San Antonio Railway and the International and Great Northern Railroad extended their lines west and south through Medina
County in 1881 and 1882, respectively. The towns of Hondo, La Coste, Dunlay, and New D'Hanis were established along the GH&SA; the towns of Devine and Natalia were established along the IG&N. The citizens of Castroville, after having been given the initial opportunity to have the GH&SA pass through their township, voted against the issuance of bonds necessary to support such a route. The rapid commercial and population growth of the newly established railroad towns, particularly at Hondo and Devine, significantly altered the future demographic makeup of the county."
Ruben E. Ochoa, "MEDINA COUNTY," Handbook of Texas Online
18th Street, on the north side of the former Southern Pacific railroad tracks that bisect Hondo from east to west.
Medina County Courthouse 1854 (Castroville)
Image courtesy of courthousehistory.com
Medina County Courthouse 1892 (Hondo)
The current Medina County courthouse dates from 1892, but has been significantly altered in its one hundred plus years. Designed by the prolific trio of Martin, Byrne & Johnson of Colorado City, Texas, the original tower was removed in 1941 and in 1942 additions were constructed on each end of the building, creating its present plan.
Image courtesy of courthousehistory.com
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Image courtesy of courthousehistory.com
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The front facade of the courthouse faces south, on 16th Street
The small oak tree is the Austin Oak.
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The courthouse stairs
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Note the street lamp in front of the courthouse. Awkward
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Captain Fred Metzger house. Circa 1890.
