154 of 254 Palo Pinto County Courthouse, Palo Pinto, Texas. County Population: 28,111
Palo Pinto ("painted stick") is the name of a creek in this area of Texas.
"William A. A. (Bigfoot) Wallace surveyed the frontier in 1837 and may have been the first white in the area that is now Palo Pinto County. The original settlers in the region, including Oliver Loving, Charles Goodnight, and Reuben Vaughn, established cattle ranches there in the mid-to-late 1850s. "In 1856 the Texas state legislature established Palo Pinto County from lands formerly assigned to Bosque and Navarro counties. The county was organized the next year, with the town of Golconda chosen to be the seat of government. The town was renamed Palo Pinto in 1858. "In 1880 the Texas and Pacific Railway built through the county, tying the area to national markets and encouraging farming and further settlement; the towns of Brazos, Santo, Gordon, Mingus, and Strawn sprang up along the rail route. In 1891 the Weatherford, Mineral Wells and Northwestern Railway, a twenty-five mile line, also built into the area, bringing eastern traffic to Mineral Wells. "The county has developed a tourist industry revolving around Possum Kingdom Lake, Mineral Wells State Park, and Lake Palo Pinto. The county hosts a Crazy Water Festival each May." John Leffler, "PALO PINTO COUNTY," Handbook of Texas Online The town of Palo Pinto is one of eleven county seats located on U.S. Highway 180 in Texas. |
I visited this county and photographed the courthouse in Palo Pinto on Friday afternoon, June 27, 2012.
Palo Pinto County courthouse 1882Yet another 19th century Texas courthouse by the prolific architects and builders, Martin, Byrne and Johnston. Or, Martin, Burns and Johnsen. Or, perhaps, Martin, Byrnes and Johnson. All of these spellings, and probably more, are found on cornerstones around the state.
Regardless, this lovey stone edifice lasted until 1940, when it was "recyled" into the current, 1940 era courthouse (see below). The current building is constructed of stone salvaged from the 1882 courthouse. A "green" building before its time. |
"The Palo Pinto County Courthouse, at 520 Oak Street, is a 3-story Moderne building with Renaissance Revival elements. Constructed between 1940-42 by the Work Projects Administration and designed by architect Preston M. Geren, Sr., of Fort Worth, Texas, with M.A. Howell of Palo Pinto serving as associate. It is the third courthouse on the site, the first two having been built in 1857 and 1882. The present courthouse is constructed of sandstone recycled from the second, with a basement level of rubble sandstone and the upper stories of ashlar sandstone. The building follows an H-plan, the main block having a hipped red slate roof and a pediment, and the two wings with flat roofs.
"The main building has not been altered. It has been maintained in excellent condition and retains its integrity of location, materials, design, workmanship, feeling, and association." From the National Register narrative
"The main building has not been altered. It has been maintained in excellent condition and retains its integrity of location, materials, design, workmanship, feeling, and association." From the National Register narrative
"Preston Murdoch Geren, Sr., (1891-1969) graduated from Texas A&M in 1912 in architectural engineering. From 1923 to 1934, Geren worked in the Fort Worth office of Sanguinet, Staats, and Hedrick serving as chief engineer. In 1934 he opened his own practice in Fort Worth and was joined in 1949 by his son, Preston M. Geren, Jr. The Palo Pinto Courthouse was the first of two courthouses designed by Geren and his only Work Projects Administration project. ... His second courthouse is in Panola County and was completed in the 1950s." From the National Register narrative