244 of 254 Hemphill County Courthouse, Canadian, Texas. County Population: 3,807
Hemphill County, Texas
"Hemphill County lies in the rolling plains on the eastern edge of the Panhandle, east of the Texas High Plains. It is bordered on the east by Oklahoma, on the south by Wheeler County, on the west by Roberts County, and on the north by Lipscomb County. It comprises 904 square miles of rolling plains and rugged terrain, broken by two major rivers and dozens of creeks. The Canadian River flows easterly across the north central part of the county, and the Washita River flows west to east across the southern part. The elevation ranges from 2,200 to 2,800 feet above sea level.
"The Southern Kansas Railway Company, a Santa Fe subsidiary, began to build a line into the Panhandle in 1886. The tracks crossed Hemphill County during 1887 and reached the town of Panhandle in 1888. The railroad allowed easier access to the outside world and encouraged settlement in the area. It also spawned three townsites, Mendota, Canadian, and Glazier.
"The arrival of the railroad and the founding of Canadian led to the establishment of county government. Hemphill County was attached to Wheeler County for administrative purposes until 1887, when a petition for organization was circulated. An organizational election was held in July of that year, and Canadian was made county seat.
"The area's economy began to diversify after 1900, partly because of the expansion of the local railroad industry."
Handbook of Texas Online, Donald R. Abbe, "Hemphill County"
I visited Hemphill County and photographed the courthouse in Canadian on May 7, 2016.
"The Southern Kansas Railway Company, a Santa Fe subsidiary, began to build a line into the Panhandle in 1886. The tracks crossed Hemphill County during 1887 and reached the town of Panhandle in 1888. The railroad allowed easier access to the outside world and encouraged settlement in the area. It also spawned three townsites, Mendota, Canadian, and Glazier.
"The arrival of the railroad and the founding of Canadian led to the establishment of county government. Hemphill County was attached to Wheeler County for administrative purposes until 1887, when a petition for organization was circulated. An organizational election was held in July of that year, and Canadian was made county seat.
"The area's economy began to diversify after 1900, partly because of the expansion of the local railroad industry."
Handbook of Texas Online, Donald R. Abbe, "Hemphill County"
I visited Hemphill County and photographed the courthouse in Canadian on May 7, 2016.
View of Main Street, looking northwest, towards the former railroad station
Hemphill County Courthouse 1909
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Image courtesy courthousehistory.com
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The courthouse square in on the southwest side of Main Street, at the top of a hill. The recent Hemphill County Law Enforcement Center occupies a large portion of the square
The front of the courthouse faces Main Street
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The southeast side of the courthouse. A recent annex is on the left
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The building, dating from 1909, is in good condition
The view from the courthouse steps
The northwest side of the building
The courthouse is sited on the south side of the river valley
The rear of the courthouse. Recent construction ties the historic building to the new annex. The historic jail is on the right
The historic jail on the left. The new law enforcement center on the right
The law enforcement center
The courthouse annex
An entrance to the courthouse in the new construction linking the county buildings
Main Street has many restored buildings
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