144 of 254 Scurry County Courthouse, Snyder, Texas. County Population: 16,921 plus wind turbines
Scurry County, Texas
|
"The Comanches were relocated to Oklahoma reservations after the Red River War of 1874–75, and buffalo hunters and ranchers moved into what is now Scurry County. Buffalo hunter J. Wright Mooar began making excursions into the region in 1874, and by 1877 Mooar was said to have killed 20,000 buffalo on the plains. That year William H. Snyder opened a trading post to sell supplies to buffalo hunters in the area, and soon a small settlement of dugouts and tents grew around Snyder's place. The first large ranch in the area was established in 1877 by Tom and Jim Nunn, who drove longhorns from South Texas to land along tributaries of the Clear Fork of the Brazos River.
"Scurry County was established by the Texas legislature in 1876 from lands formerly assigned to Bexar County; in 1880 there were 102 residents, including eight blacks, living in the area. The county was attached to Mitchell County for judicial purposes until 1884, when it was organized. Snyder, the growing trading post, became a townsite in 1882 and the county seat in 1884. "The area was named for William R. Scurry, a Confederate general." John Leffler, "SCURRY COUNTY," Handbook of Texas Online I visited Scurry County and photographed the courthouse in Snyder on Thursday, May 17, 2012.
|
Scurry County Courthouse 1909
Image courtesy courthousehistory.com
|
Photo, circa 1939, courtesy TXDOT
The Dallas firm of Lang & Witchell designed this Beaux Arts style court-house. It is similar to their designs for Johnson and Cooke counties.
|
Scurry County Courthouse 1950
Image courtesy courthousehistory.com
|
Image courtesy courthousehistory.com
Apparently, the courthouse tower was removed in a 1950 remodeling.
|
Scurry County Courthouse 1972In an "extensive remodeling project" the historic 1909 courthouse was completely enveloped by a new building, designed by Joseph Hinton, Architect. The new facades are an abastract, windowless design.
The historic 1909 building stones
|
The 1972 building stones
|
Without a doubt, the 1972 alteration of the historic Scurry County courthouse is the most offensive desecration of a Texas courthouse to date. It's truly sad.
The west facade of the courthouse, on College Avenue
The courthouse faces north, onto 25th Street
|
The southeast corner of the courthouse
|
The Scurry County courthouse square. We're not in Granbury anymore
The north facade of the courthouse is the main entrance
The view of 25th Street from the courthouse steps
A buffalo statue on the northwest corner of the square
|
One of the 4 points of entry to the building. Security cameras are everywhere
|
The southwest corner of the courthouse
A lovely gazebo on the south side of the square, beneath the looming granite cliffs
Concrete mushrooms provide shade
|
The south side of the square
|
Buildings along 25th Street on the south side of the square
An historic gas station on US Highway 84 BUS