073 of 254: Kimble County Courthouse, Junction, Texas. County Population: 4,607
Kimble County, Texas
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"Kimble County is located in southwest central Texas on the Edwards Plateau, bordered on the north by Menard County, on the east by Mason and Gillespie counties, on the south by Kerr and Edwards counties, and on the west by Sutton County. The county, which was named for Alamo defender George C. Kimble, [alternately spelled Kimbell or Kimball] contains 1,274 square miles of broken, rolling plains with an altitude ranging from 1,400 to 2,400 feet above sea level.
"The Kimble County area was first mentioned in Republic of Texas documents in 1842, when 416,000 acres of the present county were included in the Fisher-Miller Land Grant, which extended from the Llano River to the Colorado River. Apparently no one settled under the grant's auspices. "On January 22, 1858, Kimble County was formed by the Texas legislature from lands formerly assigned to Bexar County and was attached to Gillespie County for judicial purposes. "On September 6, 1875, Kimble County was separated from Gillespie County and attached to Menard County for judicial purposes. On January 3 of the following year Kimble County was organized ... "In the spring of 1876 the towns of Kimbleville and Junction were founded, and Kimbleville was elected the first county seat. Following the first district court session, Junction became the county seat. Kimbleville, located a few miles northwest of Junction in a flood-prone area, soon disappeared." Nolan Thompson, "KIMBLE COUNTY," Handbook of Texas Online I visited Kimble County and photographed the courthouse in Junction on July 28, 2010. |
June 2020: Kimble County awarded a $378,489 planning grant from the Texas Historic Courthouse Preservation Program
Designed by Henry T. Phelps in 1929, the Kimble County Courthouse demonstrates the Art Deco style in its cast stone geometric detailing and engaged columns integrated into a rectangular massing with a traditional cross-axial layout. The Round XI Planning Grant will produce construction documents that can be used to fully restore the courthouse. The future restoration will include the removal of the 1973 addition. The non-original aluminum entry doors will be reconstructed with transoms to match the historic doors. Exterior brick and cast stone masonry will be cleaned, repaired, and repointed as needed. The interior work involves asbestos abatement, removal of non-historic finishes, and restoration of original walls, ceilings, and trim. Rehabilitation work includes installation of a new elevator, and new electrical and mechanical systems. A new ramp and code compliant elevator will improve accessibility.
Kimble County Courthouse 1885
Photograph courtesy THC.
The 1885 Kimble County courthouse in Junction was designed by the San Antonio architect Alfred Giles. Born in England in 1853, Giles arrived in San Antonio in 1875 and eventually established an architectural practice, after working for a local contractor, from whom Giles learned to construct buildings with locally available materials, especially stone.
The Kimble County courthouse was a simple, yet elegant 2 story structure, square in plan, with four identical facades. Constructed of native stone, the building was similar to other modest courthouses constructed in this part of Texas over the next few decades. Compare this courthouse to those in Concho County, Edwards County, and Real County.
Unfortunately, the 1885 courthouse did not survive the construction of a new, modern courthouse for Kimble County in 1929.
The Kimble County courthouse was a simple, yet elegant 2 story structure, square in plan, with four identical facades. Constructed of native stone, the building was similar to other modest courthouses constructed in this part of Texas over the next few decades. Compare this courthouse to those in Concho County, Edwards County, and Real County.
Unfortunately, the 1885 courthouse did not survive the construction of a new, modern courthouse for Kimble County in 1929.
Kimble County Courthouse 1929
Image courtesy courthousehistory.com
San Antonio architect Henry T. Phelps was responsible for the current Kimble County courthouse. The 2 story building is in the Art Deco or Moderne style, popular at the time. Phelps designed 15 Texas courthouses during his career. The Kimble County building was one of the last of his courthouse designs. His earlier courthouses were of a more conservative, neo-classical design.
The Kimble County design relies on a contemporary rendering of the traditional classical layout: a main axis across the narrow dimension of the buiding, bisected by a cross axis. The classical columns on the front portico are now simple, abstract pilasters with blocky, sloping capital-like elements. Phelps has simplified his architectural vocabulary to suit the times and, perhaps the budgets of 1929.
The Kimble County design relies on a contemporary rendering of the traditional classical layout: a main axis across the narrow dimension of the buiding, bisected by a cross axis. The classical columns on the front portico are now simple, abstract pilasters with blocky, sloping capital-like elements. Phelps has simplified his architectural vocabulary to suit the times and, perhaps the budgets of 1929.
The front of the courthouse faces north.
Note the stylized flat pilasters on the front facade. And, no, the clocks don't work.
The building's plaque is to the right of the front doors, next to the smoking area.
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The view from the front steps of the courthouse.
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The west facade with a 1974 addition.
The south facade with the 1974 addition.
The northeast corner of the courthouse.
The Junction Municipal Building and (former) Fire Station dates from 1939-40. It's directly south of the courthouse and is distinctly moderne in style.
Downtown Junction. The courthouse square is on the left.
Junction and the Llano River valley.