220 of 254 Wichita County Courthouse, Wichita Falls, Texas. County Population: 132,154
Wichita County, Texas
" Wichita County is in the extreme north central portion of the state, on the Oklahoma border. The county comprises 606 square miles, most of which lies in the eastern part of the Central Texas Rolling Red Plains. The county's terrain consists of rolling plains with rounded slopes and shallow, comparatively broad valleys. The elevation ranges from 900 to 1,200 feet above mean sea level. Wichita County is drained from southwest to northeast by the Red and the Wichita rivers.
"Wichita County was established by act of the Texas legislature on February 1, 1858, from the Cooke Land District, and was attached to Clay County for judicial purposes. The new county was named for the Wichita Indians, and settlement was hindered by Indian attacks. Most of the area's Anglo-American pioneers arrived after 1870, when school lands were purchased to become cattle ranches, which have remained an important part of the economy.
"Wichita County remained unorganized and sparsely inhabited until after 1880, when its population reached 433. On June 7, 1882, Robert E. Huff, a recently arrived attorney, presented a petition bearing 150 signatures—some of which allegedly were fraudulent—to the Clay County commissioners court seeking independence for Wichita County. The extension of the tracks of a number of rail lines into the county greatly facilitated growth. The Fort Worth and Denver City Railroad reached the tiny settlement of Wichita Falls from Fort Worth in September 1882. This connection ensured the existence of Wichita Falls, which adopted the date of the arrival of the first train, September 26, 1882, as its birthday."
Brian Hart, "WICHITA COUNTY," Handbook of Texas Online
"Wichita County was established by act of the Texas legislature on February 1, 1858, from the Cooke Land District, and was attached to Clay County for judicial purposes. The new county was named for the Wichita Indians, and settlement was hindered by Indian attacks. Most of the area's Anglo-American pioneers arrived after 1870, when school lands were purchased to become cattle ranches, which have remained an important part of the economy.
"Wichita County remained unorganized and sparsely inhabited until after 1880, when its population reached 433. On June 7, 1882, Robert E. Huff, a recently arrived attorney, presented a petition bearing 150 signatures—some of which allegedly were fraudulent—to the Clay County commissioners court seeking independence for Wichita County. The extension of the tracks of a number of rail lines into the county greatly facilitated growth. The Fort Worth and Denver City Railroad reached the tiny settlement of Wichita Falls from Fort Worth in September 1882. This connection ensured the existence of Wichita Falls, which adopted the date of the arrival of the first train, September 26, 1882, as its birthday."
Brian Hart, "WICHITA COUNTY," Handbook of Texas Online
I visited Wichita County and photographed the courthouse in Wichita Falls on Friday, May 8 and Saturday, May 9, 2015, and on July 7, 2015.
Downtown Wichita Falls, viewed from the courthouse square, at the intersection of 7th and Lamar
Wichita County Courthouse 1886
Designed by W.C. Dodson, image courtesy of courthousehistory.com
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This courthouse was replaced in 1916, image courtesy of courthousehistory.com
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A model of the 1886 courthouse square is on display in the lobby of the current courthouse
Wichita County Courthouse 1916
Associated Architects (per the cornerstone): Sanguinet & Staats, Field & Clarkson, C. J. Pate, image courtesy of TXDOT
Image courtesy of courthousehistory.com
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Image courtesy of courthousehistory.com
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The 1916 cornerstone blocks are on display in the lobby
Very difficult to read with the interior lighting. It lists the associated architects and the builders
Displayed in the lobby without any label. I presume it's from the 1916 courthouse
Wichita County Courthouse 1957
This building plaque is displayed in the current entrance to the courthouse, a sad little leftover space between the buildings. Without further research, I can't say what Jesse Dixon (former partner in Voelcker & Dixon) designed for the courthouse, circa 1957
Wichita County Courthouse 1961
This building plaque is around the corner from the 1916 cornerstones in the current courthouse. Again, without further research, I can't say what portion of the courthouse Pond & Bellamy were responsible for, circa 1961
Mavis Kelsey wrote that Wichita Falls architect Michael Koen was responsible for alterations and an annex to the courthouse in 1980 that "buried" the 1916 building. Currently, the neo-classical 1916 courthouse remains (according to Dr. Kelsey), hidden beneath this modern enclosure, much like the fate of the Midland and Scurry County courthouses. Sigh.
A view of the south corner of the courthouse and the adjacent Wichita County Jail
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View, looking northeast, towards Lamar Street. The recent rains were causing some erosion in the square
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The southwest entrance, on Travis Street
These monumental stairs are leftovers from the original courthouse of 1916
The Wichita County Jail occupies the southwest corner of the courthouse square
The county jail, viewed from 6th Street
The courthouse annex and county jail
The northeast façade: as an abstract form it's not bad
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The northeast entrance is, of course, no longer an entrance
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The courthouse and jail are on the northwest edge of downtown Wichita Falls
The Hamilton Building, 1927. The original 1916 courthouse is visible on the right
There appears to be sufficient parking in downtown Wichita Falls
Across 7th Street from the courthouse: pizza and bail bonds?
The Wichita Falls City Hall and Auditorium of 1927. Lang & Witchell with Voelcker & Dixon, architects
On US 287 west of Wichita Falls: the railroad and the sky, an iconic image of Wichita County