069 of 254: Taylor County Courthouse, Abilene, Texas. County Population: 137,521
Taylor County, Texas
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"In 1858 the Texas legislature established Taylor County, named for Alamo defenders Edward, James, and George Taylor, from lands formerly assigned to Bexar and Travis counties. Taylor County was attached to Travis and Bexar counties for judicial and administrative purposes until 1873, when these responsibilities were assigned to Eastland County. Partly due to the presence of Indians, the area remained largely unsettled.
"The earliest group of European settlers in Taylor County were buffalo hunters and bone gatherers, who arrived during the 1870s. "As more people moved into the area, the county was organized in 1878, and Buffalo Gap, a small settlement near the center of the county, became the seat of government. "Settlement accelerated when the Texas and Pacific Railway built through the area in the early 1880s. Buffalo Gap was bypassed by the railroad, which was routed instead to pass through the northern part of the county to the site of a new town, to be called Abilene. [after the Kansas cattle town] "While Abilene began to develop into a shipping center, Buffalo Gap declined in population, and, after an election held in 1883, Abilene became the county seat." John Leffler, "TAYLOR COUNTY," Handbook of Texas Online first I visited the county and photographed the courthouse on July 26, 2010 and again on June 20, 2012. Taylor County is one of seven Texas counties I've lived in over the years. Abilene is home to my mother's family, the Brannan's. At age 2, Abilene was my first home in the United States.
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June 2020: Taylor County was awarded a $5,980,000 grant from the state for a full restoration of the 1915 Taylor County courthouse!
Featuring a variety of exterior materials such as brick, cast stone, and terracotta, the 1915 Taylor County Courthouse is a 3-story brick building with a rectangular plan and a concealed flat roof. The Round XI Full Restoration Grant proposes a full interior and exterior restoration. The site will be restored with removal of a non-historic addition, above-grade utilities and asphalt that currently extends to the edge of the building, and the restoration of original concrete walks and landscaping. Exterior work entails cleaning and repointing brick, reconstructing concrete steps and landings, and replacing the roof. The building will receive a new accessible security entrance, and interior work includes the installation of a new elevator and egress stair, and restoration of historic finishes throughout the building, as well as the full replacement of outdated mechanical, electrical and plumbing systems, and the installation of security and audio-visual.
The Texas & Pacific train station
Taylor County Courthouse 1883This courthouse is attributed to architect Jasper N. Preston & Son, of Austin. Preston practiced architecture in Austin from 1875 until he and his son moved to Los Angeles in 1886. Preston's best known building in Texas is the Driskill Hotel in Austin.
Image courtesy of courthousehistory.com
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Image courtesy of courthousehistory.com
The 1883 courthouse was demolished in 1914. What a loss for Taylor County.
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Taylor County Courthouse 1915Designed by Waco architect George Burnett, this classical revival style building served as the Taylor County courthouse until 1972, when the current courthouse opened. The 1915 courthouse is still used by the county for offices.
Image courtesy of courthousehistory.com
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Image courtesy of courthousehistory.com
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The front of the 1915 courthouse faces west
There were originally three pairs of doors...
This is the most remarkable collection of electrical weatherheads I've ever seen.
Taylor County Courthouse 1972
Abilene architects Tittle, Luther, Loving, and Lee designed this abstract building which serves as the current Taylor County courthouse.
The typical "sea of cars" view of the courthouse.
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Abilene exists because of the railroad. The Texas & Pacific, now a part of the Union Pacific, crosses the center of town on an east-west axis.