095 Wilson County

095 of 254: Wilson County Courthouse, Floresville, Texas. County Population: 42,918

Wilson County, Texas

"Wilson County was established by an act of the legislature on February 13, 1860. It was cut from Bexar and Karnes counties and named for Somervell expedition member and legislator, James C. Wilson. Sutherland Springs was designated the county seat, ...
"John W. Longsworth, ... moved the county records to Lodi in 1867, beginning a controversy about the location of the county seat that lasted for more than a decade. The county seat was returned to Sutherland Springs in March 1871 but moved back to Lodi in July 1871. An election was finally held in November 1873 to determine the location of county government, and the new town of Floresville, near the geographic center of the county, was selected as the new county seat. The citizens of Sutherland Springs called for a new election in 1883, but Floresville once again won by a margin of 250.
"At the Constitutional Convention in 1868–69 legislators voted to alter the boundary between Wilson and Guadalupe counties. The legislature also approved a measure to change the name of the county from Wilson to Cibolo County, but the name was never applied. Another boundary adjustment in 1874 increased the area of the county, and the name was changed back to Wilson County."
Christopher Long, "WILSON COUNTY," Handbook of Texas Online

I visited Wilson County and photographed the courthouse in Floresville on Wednesday, April 13, 2011, and again, on Saturday, April 27,2014.

Wilson County Courthouse 1884

"Located on the public square of Floresville, the Wilson County Courthouse was designed by the prominent Texas architect, Alfred Giles and was completed in 1884. The two story stuccoed brick structure with its dominating tower exhibits many Italianate architectural elements - an unusual style for 19th Century Texas courthouses. One of the building's most distinguishing features is its balance. Although the structure has been remodeled, the building originally displayed a "T" shape floor plan. The front or SW elevation demonstrates a symmetrical facade with a statue standing atop the central gabled bay. Along with the outer elevations the front facade is pierced on the ground floor with segmental arched windows and round arch openings in the second floor. Quoins provide visual support at every corner, while string courses unite these quoins and the hood molds on each floor. One-story porticos supported by two columns and surmounted with a balustrade mark the entrances on three facades (the rear portico was altered when a rear addition was constructed)."
From the National Register narrative

In April 2014, Wilson County received a $450,000 grant award from the Texas Historic Courthouse Preservation Program for foundation re-inforcement, replacement of eroded brick to stabilize the building, window repairs and other building rehabilitation work necessary to safely reoccupy the building, which was vacated due to structural problems in 2012.

The courthouse was vacated in 2012 due to structural problems

Postcard image courtesy courthousehistory.com

The front of the courthouse faces southwest, on 3rd Street

Now this is a FACADE