079 of 254: Live Oak County Courthouse, George West, Texas. County Population: 11,531
Live Oak County, Texas
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"The Texas Revolution brought violence and instability to the area, as Mexican punitive expeditions passed through present-day Live Oak County; at least four men from the area died during the fighting. Afterward, between the Texas Revolution and the end of the Mexican War in 1848 much of what is now Live Oak County lay in the disputed area between the Rio Grande and the Nueces.
"Much of the area had been designated part of San Patricio County since 1836, but in 1855 a group of frontiersmen gathered under a huge live oak tree at Gussettville and drew up a petition asking that a new jurisdiction be instituted for their settlements. Acceding to their request, the state legislature formed Live Oak County from San Patricio and Nueces counties on February 2, 1856. Later that year county officials accepted a donation of 640 acres for the townsite of Oakville, near the old settlement on Sulfur Creek, and designated it the county seat. "... after an election in 1918, the county government was moved from Oakville to George West, [named for a wealthy county rancher and businessman who developed the town site]." John Leffler, "LIVE OAK COUNTY," Handbook of Texas Online I visited Live Oak County and photographed the courthouse in George West on September 25, 2010 and again on October 27, 2011.
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Live Oak County is the birthplace of J. Frank Dobie, noted Texas writer and storyteller.
I visited this county and photographed the courthouse on September 25, 2010.
Live Oak County Courthouse 1919
The 1 story building on the left is a 1960's addition. Image courtesy courthousehistory.com
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Photograph,circa 1939, courtesy TXDOT
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Houston Street, George West. Looking northeast. The courthouse is on the right, behind the trees.
The Live Oak County courthouse. Last courthouse designed by San Antonio architect Alfred Giles.
The front of the courthouse faces northwest.
The back of the courthouse. In case you're wondering, the county jail is an addition to the original building.
The jail addition is easily distinguished from the 1919 courthouse by its modern style.
Vertical and horizontal white accents provide visual links between the 2 buildings, right?
A photo of this sign is worth 41 words.
Keeping watch over the Live Oak courthouse square is this longhorn, Geronimo, once owned by rancher George West.
Geronimo keeps constant watch: he never sleeps!
Oil exploration is increasing in Live Oak County as a result of the Eagle Ford Shale discovery.
Lots of big rigs on the roads.
The Valero refinery in Three Rivers, Texas.
