Dallam County, Texas
"Dallam County is located in the far northwestern corner of the Texas Panhandle; its western border abuts New Mexico, and its northern boundary borders Oklahoma. The county seat, Dalhart, is located on the Dallam-Hartley county line in the south central part of the county. Texline, the county's only other incorporated town, is at the intersection of U.S. Highway 87 and the New Mexico border. Dallam County comprises approximately 1,505 square miles of the rolling grasslands of the Panhandle.
"Dallam County, named for James W. Dallam, Republic of Texas lawyer and newspaper editor, originated from the Bexar District in 1876. In 1887 and 1888 the Fort Worth and Denver City Railway was built through the county as it extended its line from Amarillo into New Mexico and Colorado. On May 14, 1888, the road reached Texline. By 1890 the population of the county had reached 112. In 1891 the county was organized with Texline as its seat.
"In 1900 and 1901 the Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific Railroad, building from Enid, Oklahoma, and Tucumcari, New Mexico, crossed Dallam County. A settlement soon developed at the point where the Rock Island crossed the Fort Worth and Denver. The town, [was] named Dalhart because it is in both Dallam and Hartley counties. Dalhart prospered, and as a result of an election held early in 1903 it became the county seat. Dalhart has become the largest town in the northwest Panhandle because it is a crossroads for commerce and travel."
Handbook of Texas Online, Donald R. Abbe and H. Allen Anderson, "Dallam County"
I visited Dallam County and photographed the courthouse in Dalhart on May 9, 2016.
"Dallam County, named for James W. Dallam, Republic of Texas lawyer and newspaper editor, originated from the Bexar District in 1876. In 1887 and 1888 the Fort Worth and Denver City Railway was built through the county as it extended its line from Amarillo into New Mexico and Colorado. On May 14, 1888, the road reached Texline. By 1890 the population of the county had reached 112. In 1891 the county was organized with Texline as its seat.
"In 1900 and 1901 the Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific Railroad, building from Enid, Oklahoma, and Tucumcari, New Mexico, crossed Dallam County. A settlement soon developed at the point where the Rock Island crossed the Fort Worth and Denver. The town, [was] named Dalhart because it is in both Dallam and Hartley counties. Dalhart prospered, and as a result of an election held early in 1903 it became the county seat. Dalhart has become the largest town in the northwest Panhandle because it is a crossroads for commerce and travel."
Handbook of Texas Online, Donald R. Abbe and H. Allen Anderson, "Dallam County"
I visited Dallam County and photographed the courthouse in Dalhart on May 9, 2016.
Dalhart is on the southern border of Dallam County. Parts of the city are in Hartley County. The street grid was bisected by the two railroads that crossed in the center of town.
Dallam County Courthouse 1903
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Dallam County Courthouse 1922
Image courtesy of courthousehistory.com
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Image courtesy of courthousehistory.com
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The 1922 Dallam County courthouse was designed by architects Smith & Townes of Amarillo. The design is substantially identical to the Lynn County courthouse in Tahoka, 1916, and the Freestone County courthouse in Fairfield, 1919, both of which were designed by the W.M. Rice Company, also of Amarillo. Why this is so, I don't yet know.
The commercial "main street" of Dalhart is Denrock Avenue, which runs north/south from the railroad crossing. The courthouse square is located on a half-block on the east side of Denrock. The courthouse faces south, turning its back on the railroads.
The front facade of the courthouse faces south, on E. 5th Street. Like many Texas courthouses, the front doors of the courthouse are aligned with an alley.
Looking south from the front steps of the courthouse. The XIT Ranch Museum is on the right.
The view of the front facade from the alley.
The southeast corner of the courthouse.
The east facade is on Denver Avenue.
The view from the east side of the courthouse. The Dallam - Hartley County Jail is across Denver Avenue.
Dallam and Hartley Counties share this jail in Dalhart.
The northeast corner of the courthouse.
The northwest corner of the courthouse.
The west facade of the courthouse is on Denrock Avenue.
The east facade.
Looking west from the east side of the courthouse, to Denrock Avenue.
The southeast corner of the courthouse square.
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The first floor corridor, looking north toward the stairs that lead to the second floor courtroom.
The 69th District courtroom on the second floor of the courthouse.
