167 of 254 Reeves County Courthouse, Pecos, Texas. County Population: 13,783
Reeves County, Texas
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"Settlers of Mexican descent farmed in the county's Madera Valley from early times. In 1849 John S. Ford traveled along Toyah Creek and noted the productive land upon which the Mescalero Indians cultivated corn. Farmers of Mexican descent who irrigated from San Solomon Spring in the last half of the nineteenth century found a lucrative market for grains, vegetables, and beef at Fort Davis. The first Anglo farmers arrived in Toyah Valley in 1871, when George B. and Robert E. Lyle began irrigating crops from Toyah Creek. Open range ranching first attracted white settlers to the Davis Mountains in 1875.
"By 1881 the Texas and Pacific Railway built tracks through Reeves County. At that time section houses were constructed at Pecos and Toyah, which opened a post office that year and later became a shipping point for local ranchers. Pecos was named the seat of government when Reeves County was separated from Pecos County in 1883 and organized in 1884. The county was named for Confederate colonel George R. Reeves." Julia Cauble Smith, "REEVES COUNTY," Handbook of Texas Online "Balmorhea State Recreation Area is located at Toyahvale, at the northern entrance to the Davis Mountains on U.S. Highway 290 in southeastern Reeves County." I visited Reeves County and photographed the courthouse in Pecos on Saturday, July 28, 2012 and Saturday, March 23, 2013.
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Reeves County Courthouse 1886
Image courtesy courthousehistory.com
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Image courtesy courthousehistory.com
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Yet another 19th century courthouse designed and constructed by Martin, Byrne & Johnson (or Martin Byrnes & Johnston, etc). Demolished, of course.
Reeves County Courthouse 1937
Image courtesy courthousehistory.com
Architects Trost & Trost of El Paso. I can't believe someone placed a downspout over the cornerstone! Image courtesy courthousehistory.com
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Photo, circa 1939, courtesy TXDOT
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The front of the courthouse faces north and slightly west, on E. 4th Street
Mature trees obscure the north facade of the building
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The northeast corner of the courthouse. A third floor addition is visible in the center of the photograph
Southwest corner of the courthouse
Southeast corner of the courthouse
The United States Courthouse is across the street from the county courthouse
The former Texas & Pacific station in Pecos
Historic buildings on E. 1st Street, south of the railroad
Reeves County, north of Pecos
Driving north from Pecos on US Highway 285
San Solomon Spring, Balmorhea State Park, in southern Reeves County
San Solomon Spring, Balmorhea State Park, the Davis Mountains are in the background