129 of 254: Jim Hogg County Courthouse, Hebbronville, Texas. County Population: 5,300
Jim Hogg County, Texas
|
"Because of its location away from the coast and primary trade routes, the future county was not immediately settled by the Spanish. Although land grants in the Trans-Nueces region were made as early as 1767, not until the early 1800s was an effort made to settle the area.
"Between the Texas Revolution and the end of the Mexican War Jim Hogg County lay in the disputed territory between the Rio Grande and the Nueces. Numerous grantees fled to Mexico to avoid the hostilities. "Initially, the advent of Anglo settlers in the early 1830s did little to alter the region's economic or social character. In most cases, the newcomers were integrated into the existing society, either by marriage into wealthy Mexican families or through land purchase. "Immediately after the end of the Mexican War all of the land in the disputed territory was officially made part of the state of Texas. At various times the area that is now known as Jim Hogg County was under the juris-diction of Brooks, Duval, Starr, Zapata, Live Oak, and Hidalgo counties. "Jim Hogg County [named for Governor James Stephen Hogg] was formed out of Duval and Brooks counties; land from Duval County was included so that the town of Hebbronville, with its railroad station, could be in the new county." Alicia A. Garza, "JIM HOGG COUNTY," Handbook of Texas Online I visited Jim Hogg County and photographed the courthouse in Hebbronville on Thursday, October 27, 2011.
|
Jim Hogg County Courthouse 1913
Image courtesy courthousehistory.com
|
Photograph, circa 1939, courtesy TXDOT
|
The 1913 Jim Hogg County courthouse was designed by San Antonio architect Henry T. Phelps. The small, 2 story building fronts on E. Tilley Street, on the south side of the courthouse square. In 1981, a 2 story addition was constructed on the west side of the original courthouse, facing N. Smith Ave. The addition, with a large, double-height porch, became the new "public" face of the courthouse. However, the original 1913 building and its entrance porch stills exists and continues to serve as the everyday entrance to the building. The 1981 addition was designed by Leyendecker & Cavazos Architects of Laredo.
The 1981 courthouse fronts on Highway 16, N. Smith Ave.
The 1913 courthouse porch can be seen on the right, behind the 1981 addition
1981 courthouse
|
1981 building plaque
|
1913 courthouse
|
1913 cornerstone
|
I can't explain why, but, for some reason I did not photograph the front facade of the original 1913 courthouse! All I have is this side view. Mea culpa.
The 1981 courthouse faces west
The now abandoned Hotel Viggo (1915 & 1924) is across N. Smith Ave from the courthouse
The upper floors of the Hotel Viggo have an unobstructed view of the courthouse
North of the Hotel Viggo is this very pink building
Our Lady of Guadalupe is a couple of blocks east of the courthouse on E. Santa Clara St
Scotus College, a Franciscan seminary, moved to Hebbronville from Mexico in 1926 to escape persecution
