I left Houston on Thursday morning, May 17, to attend a cousin's wedding in Albuquerque on Friday evening.  Along the way I stopped in Hamilton County (number 102) to photogarph the newly restored courthouse (my second visit), in Nolan County (number 64) to photograph the recently "stripped" down courthouse (the granite cladding has been removed, leaving the building rather bare), in Scurry County to photograph courthouse number 144 (and my new leader in the category of uglist courthouse in Texas), in Garza County to photograph courthouse number 145.  Finally, 530 miles later, I spent the night in Lubbock. 
Friday morning I was at the Lubbock County courthouse by 8:30.  Courthouse number 146 was quiet at that hour except for a wedding party and a couple from Minnesota adopting a baby (I took their photo in front of the courthouse).  Then, I proceeded to Lamb County (number 147), Bailey County (number 148), and Parmer County (number 149) before entering New Mexico.  I arrived in Albuquerque at 3:00 and took nap before attending my cousin's wedding that evening. 
Saturday morning I left Albuquerque at 9:30 and drove across the eastern part of the state via Clines Corners, Vaughn, and Roswell, arriving back in Texas mid-afteroon at Yoakum County (number 150).  Then, it was on to Terry County (number 151) and finally, Lynn County (number 152) before I headed to Abilene, via Post, Snyder, Roscoe and Sweetwater. 
Today, Sunday, I rested at the home of my aunt and uncle, Carolyn and Clark Brannan.  However, I did re-photograph the Taylor County courthouse (number 69) and downtown Abilene this afternoon.
Tomorrow, Monday, I'm driving west to photograph Mitchell County (number 153), and re-visit Sterling (number 6) and Coke (number 7) Counties before returning to Abilene for the night.  I also intend to visit the Abilene Library to see if they have any information on the local architect David S. Castle.
Tuesday I will return home to Houston, with stops in Gatesville (Coryell County, number 8) and Cameron (Milam County number 9) to re-photograph those courthouses.
It's been a great trip!
Photos and more information on these courthouses will follow after I return home...

I left the Liberty Hotel in Cleburne at 8:30 AM Sunday and spent a hour in and around the downtown, including a visit to the train station.  Then, I took US 67 west and south to Somervell County, the second smallest Texas county in area.  (The smallest Texas county is Rockwall, just east of Dallas.)  Glen Rose, the county seat is on the banks of the Paluxy River, which empties into the Brazos a few miles east of Glen Rose.  Here's a photograph of Big Rocks Park in Glen Rose.

The Somervell County courthouse in Glen Rose dates from 1893.  It's on a small square in the center of this lovely little town.  I'd never heard of Glen Rose before but it's on my "must visit" list now. 

From Glen Rose I followed Highway 144 north to Hood County.  Granbury is the county seat.  Lake Granbury, a popular recreational area, is on the east side of the town.  On a Sunday morning there was a lot of traffic, vehicles and pedestrians, in the town square.  The square is dominated by a large, monumental Second Empire building designed by W.C. Dodson.

I was hungry after photographing the Granbury courthouse square.  A block away from the courthouse an old Shamrock filling station caught my eye.  It is now a restaurant, the Pearl Street Station, and served an excellent BBQ meal at a resonable price.

With a hearty lunch under my belt, I headed southwest on Highway US 377 to Stephenville, seat of Erath County, the dairy capital of Texas.  My first view of the courthouse tower was through a sea of utility poles. 

The Erath County courthouse is a J. Riely Gordon design, from 1891.  It occupies a square in the center of town, surrounded by numerous historic buildings. Compared to the crowded courthouse square in Granbury, the Stephenville square seemed empty, except for the constant traffic on US 377 Business, on the west side of the block.

From Stephenville I drove southeast on US 281 to Hico, then east on Highway 6 to Meridian, seat of Bosque County.  (I understand the county name is pronounced "bos-kee" by the way.)  Here's a house, perched on the side of a hill southwest of Meridian.  It must have spectacular views. 

I approached Meridian with some trepidation.  The Courthouses of Texas guidebook included a photograph of the 1886 courthouse following "modern" alterations made in 1935.  The original clock tower and mansard roofs were removed, among other changes.

Imagine my surprise, then, when this is what I saw on my approach to Meridian!  Whoa, this isn't what I expected!

Its turns out the Bosque County courthouse has received the "Wharton County" treatment!  That is, a complete restoration, returning the building to the original design, including a new roof and clock tower.  Thank you THC!

Discoveries like this make my day.  Leaving Meridian I retraced my steps east to Fairfield, seat of Freestone County, arriving about 3:45 PM.  I proceeded to re-photograph the courthouse and square to replace the images I'd accidently deleted the previous day.  Here's the 1919 neo-classical Freestone County courthouse:

Tired, but very satisfied with my two day road trip, I left Fairfield at 4:30 PM and returned 160 miles to my home in Houston.  This past weekend I added 8 new counties and re-visited another, for a total of 143 out of 254 Texas counties.  But wait, there's more.  As my friend Melissa Kean would say, "here's a bonus photograph," taken on my way south on I-45, in Walker County.