074 of 254: Edwards County Courthouse, Rocksprings, Texas. County Population: 2,002
Edwards County, Texas
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"The county encompasses 2,120 square miles of the Edwards Plateau region. The elevation varies from 1,500 feet to 2,410 feet. Edwards County has more than fifteen natural springs that flow year-round; the headwaters of the Llano, Nueces, and West Nueces rivers are in the county.
"In 1858 the county was formed from Bexar County; the first land was sold in 1876. Edwards County was not officially organized until 1883. It was named for Hayden Edwards, one of the first American settlers of Nacogdoches. The county seat was originally Bullhead, which sub-sequently changed its name to Vance. Rock Springs (now Rocksprings) became county seat in 1891. In 1913, Real County was taken from the eastern section of Edwards County, thus decreasing Edwards County to its present size. "The early settlers of this region soon realized that the area was not suitable for farming, but that it did supply ample natural food for sheep and angora goats. Ranching began to dominate the county as the demand for wool and mohair increased in the early twentieth century. "The county has benefitted from tourism dollars spent by hunters and fishermen drawn to the area by the abundant game and wildlife. The revenue from these activities now constitutes 20 percent of the annual county income." James B. McCrain, "EDWARDS COUNTY," Handbook of Texas Online |
Edwards County Courthouse 1891
Photograph, circa1939, courtesy TXDOT.
"Built in 1891 of coursed native limestone, the straightforward architectural quality of the courthouse owes much to its emphasis on simple structural design, rather than elaborate detail. Decorative quoins, rugged voussoired arches over each entry door, and an unadorned string course beneath the hip roof's cornice line all function as an integral part of the symmetrically proportioned facades.
"The interior plan is square with offices on the ground level and the courtroom located on the second floor. A single corridor running north and south provides access to the ground level rooms, while a centrally located-stair on the east side of this hall furnishes access to the second floor courtroom."
From the National Register narrative
"The interior plan is square with offices on the ground level and the courtroom located on the second floor. A single corridor running north and south provides access to the ground level rooms, while a centrally located-stair on the east side of this hall furnishes access to the second floor courtroom."
From the National Register narrative
Image courtesy courthousehistory.com
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Image courtesy courthousehistory.com
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The front door of the courthouse. It's not often you can see all the way through a county courthouse!
The view from the front steps of the courthouse.
The east facade.
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Ben Davey & Bruno Schott designed and built the courthouse.
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A side view of the building.
The other entrance, on the west side.
The Edwards County jail. On the courthouse square in Rocksprings.
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The jail was apparently built at the same time as the courthouse.
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People's State Bank building on the square in Rocksprings.
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Built in 1916 by Jesse Walter Gilmer (1883-1961), the two-story Gilmer Hotel was originally wooden, with an upper gallery on the east and south sides.
I fell in love with Rocksprings. Can't wait to return and stay at the Gilmer Hotel!