161 Glasscock County

161 of 254 Glasscock County Courthouse, Garden City, Texas. County Population: 1,226

Glasscock County, Texas

"Glasscock County was formed in 1887 from Tom Green County and named for George W. Glasscock, a Texas Revolution officer and Texas legislator for whom Georgetown, county seat of Williamson County, was also named. Before the establishment of Tom Green County in 1874, Glasscock County was part of the Bexar District, which was subsequently divided into thirteen counties. After the Civil War, Glasscock County was part of the Pecos Military District, and cattlemen using the Pecos Trail drove herds through the area. After its founding in 1889 Glasscock County was attached for administrative purposes first to Martin County, then to Howard County. Glasscock County was formally organized
after an election was held in 1893.
"By 1893 three small settlements, Garden City, Dixie, and New California, had been established within 1½ miles of each other near Lacy Creek. New California was selected as the county seat because its higher ground promised more easily obtainable well water. The original settlement called Garden City was abandoned, even though at the time it had the county's post office and more homes than New California. New California was subsequently renamed Garden City."
John Leffler, "GLASSCOCK COUNTY," Handbook of Texas Online

I visited Glasscock County and photographed the courthouse in Garden City on Friday, July 27, 2012.

Ranch Road 33, driving south from Big Spring through Glasscock County

Glasscock County Courthouse and Jail 1894

"On May 9, 1893, a little over one month from the date of Glasscock County's formal organization, the first county commissioner's court issued bonds to erect a combination courthouse/jail building. L. T. Noyes of Houston, with the assistance of plasterer William T. Lovell, completed the structure on February 12, 1894. Originally, the ground floor of the building was used for court sessions and the second floor used as the jail. The 2-story stone building, later used only as a jail, features subtle Classical influences, including corner pilasters and a tall corbelled cornice." From a Texas Historical Marker

The historic Glasscock County courthouse and jail is on the corner of Main Street (Ranch Road 33) and Highway 158

The southeast corner of the building, viewed from the current courthouse

Glasscock County Courthouse 1909

Image courtesy courthousehistory.com

Photograph, circa1939, courtesy TXDOT

"County bonds issued through the First State Bank of Garden City in 1909 were used to employ Mutual Construction Company, Inc. of Louisville, Kentucky, and architects Edward C. Hasford & Co., of Dallas, to build a new courthouse. The 2 1/2 story Classical Revival structure, constructed of 3-foot thick native stone from a local ranch owned by Steve Calverley, was completed on August 27, 1910. It features colossal Doric columns supporting its open pediment and a horizontal belt course which follows its 2nd floor window sills. The current Glasscock County Courthouse has been in continuous use since 1910. The original courthouse/jail structure was replaced by a new jail in 1980." From a Texas Historical Marker
(Other sources name the architect Edward C. Hosford & Company.)