210 of 254 Cass County Courthouse, Linden, Texas. County Population: 30,464
Cass County, Texas
|
"Cass County, bordered by Arkansas and Louisiana on the east, is located in northeastern Texas on the state's eastern boundary; it is one county removed from the northern boundary. Linden, the county seat, is in the south central portion of the county fourteen miles southwest of Atlanta, the county's largest town. Cass County comprises 937 square miles of the East Texas timberlands, an area that is heavily forested with a great variety of softwoods and hardwoods, especially pine, cypress, and oak. The terrain ranges from nearly level to hilly, with an elevation ranging from 200 to 632 feet above sea level.
"The county was formed from Bowie County in 1846. Jefferson was chosen as the first county seat, but, after several fiercely contested elections, in 1852 Linden became county seat. The county's boundaries were reduced in 1860 with the formation of Marion County, but, with the exception of small adjustments, have remained unchanged since that time. The county was originally named Cass County in honor of Lewis Cass, a United States Senator from Michigan who had favored the annexation of Texas. [During the Civil War the county name was changed to Davis, to honor of Jefferson Davis, President of the Confederate States of America. However, in 1871 the Texas legislature reversed the decision, returning to the original county name of Cass.]" Cecil Harper, Jr., "CASS COUNTY," Handbook of Texas Online I visited Cass County and photographed the courthouse in Linden on Friday, June 6, 2014 |
Approaching Linden from the south on Main Street
Cass County Courthouse 1861-66, 1900, 1917, 1934, 2012
Image courtesy of courthousehistory.com
|
Photo, circa 1939, courtesy of TXDOT
|
"The Cass County Courthouse was designed by Judge Charles Ames in 1859 and was constructed of local brick made by J. Thomas Veal and L. W. Lisenbee, who were also the builders. The Civil War delayed the building's completion until 1866. This 50-foot by 60-foot structure was two stories high with four brick chimneys. It featured a hipped metal roof painted a lead color and a square, 23-foot high cupola with a zinc covered dome, crowned with a spire and a wooden ball. Both the ball and spire were covered with gold leaf.
"Around 1900, a 15-foot wing was added to the east side of the building by B. H. Singletary of Atlanta, Texas. In 1917, two more wings were added, one on the west side and another on the east side. The architect for this addition was Stewart Moore, form Texarkana, Texas, and the contractors were A. M. and R. G. Brashears, also from Texarkana.
"In 1933, a fire destroyed part of the second floor. The damage was repaired immediately; the tin covered cupola was removed, and the third floor was added. Sometime after the fire, stucco was applied over the brick and was painted white with deep tan trim. In 1979, a fourth addition of offices and an elevator were constructed on the west side of the courthouse. The existing three-story, Classical Revival style courthouse is the result of these renovations. The seven-bay longitudinal elevation features a prominent, three-bay, two-story entry portico with a pediment and Roman Doric columns. The pediment is decorated with a semi-circular fan window.
"The Classical Revival Cass County Courthouse, prominently located on the public square in Linden, is the oldest continuously used courthouse in Texas. Serving as a visual reference point that defines the to landscape, this building is a reminder of past civic pride when the courthouse was a symbol of peace and of the protection of society." From the National Register narrative
After one-hundred and fifty years of service and many repairs, alterations and additions, the Cass County courthouse was fully restored to its 1934 era condition, with funds from the Texas Historic Courthouse Preservation program. "The restoration date for the building was 1934 due to dramatic structural alterations to the roof, the introduction of pigmented stucco to the exterior, and the existence of nearly all historic fabric from this period. The project involved removing a 1980s addition and restoring all 1934 exterior and interior public spaces including decorative finishes, and the restoration and replication of original light fixtures and globes, as well as updating mechanical, electrical, and plumbing systems and improving accessibility to meet ADA. The courthouse was rededicated on Feb. 18, 2012." From the THC website
"Around 1900, a 15-foot wing was added to the east side of the building by B. H. Singletary of Atlanta, Texas. In 1917, two more wings were added, one on the west side and another on the east side. The architect for this addition was Stewart Moore, form Texarkana, Texas, and the contractors were A. M. and R. G. Brashears, also from Texarkana.
"In 1933, a fire destroyed part of the second floor. The damage was repaired immediately; the tin covered cupola was removed, and the third floor was added. Sometime after the fire, stucco was applied over the brick and was painted white with deep tan trim. In 1979, a fourth addition of offices and an elevator were constructed on the west side of the courthouse. The existing three-story, Classical Revival style courthouse is the result of these renovations. The seven-bay longitudinal elevation features a prominent, three-bay, two-story entry portico with a pediment and Roman Doric columns. The pediment is decorated with a semi-circular fan window.
"The Classical Revival Cass County Courthouse, prominently located on the public square in Linden, is the oldest continuously used courthouse in Texas. Serving as a visual reference point that defines the to landscape, this building is a reminder of past civic pride when the courthouse was a symbol of peace and of the protection of society." From the National Register narrative
After one-hundred and fifty years of service and many repairs, alterations and additions, the Cass County courthouse was fully restored to its 1934 era condition, with funds from the Texas Historic Courthouse Preservation program. "The restoration date for the building was 1934 due to dramatic structural alterations to the roof, the introduction of pigmented stucco to the exterior, and the existence of nearly all historic fabric from this period. The project involved removing a 1980s addition and restoring all 1934 exterior and interior public spaces including decorative finishes, and the restoration and replication of original light fixtures and globes, as well as updating mechanical, electrical, and plumbing systems and improving accessibility to meet ADA. The courthouse was rededicated on Feb. 18, 2012." From the THC website
The Cass County courthouse, viewed from the northwest, at the intersection of Houston and Main Streets
The north porch of the Cass County courthouse
The west façade of the Cass County courthouse, on Main Street
The south façade of the Cass County courthouse, on Rush Street
The southeast corner of the square, at the intersection of Rush and Kaufman Streets
The east façade of the Cass County courthouse, on Kaufman Street
|
|
The north façade of the Cass County courthouse, on Houston Street
View of Houston Street buildings on the north side of the courthouse
|
|
The 5th Judicial District Courtroom is on the second floor
The Cass County Office Building is on the east side of the square, at the corner of Kaufman and Rush Streets
|
|
On the north side of the County Office Building is the County Tax Office
|
The building stone of the 1963 Tax Office Building
|
Lake Wright Patman, on the Sulphur River, forms the northern border of Cass County. Across the bridge is Bowie County, our next stop