Stephenville in Erath County, Texas — The American South (West South Central)
Erath County Courthouse
By 1890 Erath County was experiencing an economic boom. The railroad had reached this area in 1889, and local business increased as shipping opportunities improved. County commissioners called for bids to design a new courthouse in 1891. J. Riely Gordon submitted the winning design. The construction contract was awarded to S.A. Tomlinson of Fort Worth. Gordon, who became a nationally known architect, had designed two earlier buildings on the town square (the First National Bank and the Crow Opera House). He is well known for his Texas courthouse designs.
A distinctive rendition of the Romanesque Revival style, this courthouse, completed in 1892, features striking use of locally-quarried limestone accented with Pecos sandstone. A 1988 restoration project included the addition of an adjacent courthouse annex. The central clock tower of the historic courthouse has been the most prominent feature of the surrounding landscape for more than a century.
Recorded Texas Historic Landmark - 1963
Erected 1963 by Texas Historical Commission. (Marker Number 1494.)
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Architecture • Law Enforcement • Settlements & Settlers. A significant historical year for this entry is 1854.
Location. 32° 13.205′ N, 98° 12.122′ W. Marker is in Stephenville, Texas, in Erath County. Marker is at the intersection of South Graham Avenue (County Highway 108) and West College Street, on the left when traveling north on South Graham Avenue. The marker is located on a ground pedestal at the southeast corner of the Erath County Courthouse grounds. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 100 West Washington Street, Stephenville TX 76401, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. Erath County CSA War Memorial (within shouting distance of this marker); 1997 National Champion (within shouting distance of this marker); Erath County War Memorial (within shouting distance of this marker); Lest We Forget (within shouting distance of this marker); Dawson Saloon (within shouting distance of this marker); First National Bank Building (within shouting distance of this marker); Crow Opera House (about 300 feet away, measured in a direct line); Stephenville Drug Stores (about 300 feet away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Stephenville.
Regarding Erath County Courthouse. According to the Texas Historical Commission (Atlas Map DB), the large subject marker was placed as an interpretive marker in 1997. At the front entrance to the courthouse, only a medallion from 1963 is left of original state historical marker.
Also see . . . Erath County.
Erath County (EE-rath) was marked off from Bosque and Coryell counties in 1856 and named for George B. Erath, one of the original surveyors of the area. The center of the county is near Stephenville, eighty miles southwest of Dallas (at 32°10' N, 98°15' W). The county comprises 1,983 square miles and is divided into two distinct regions. The Western Cross Timbers, dominated by such hardwoods as post oak and a soil surface of sandy and red clay, crosses the northwestern two-thirds of the county, while the Grand Prairie, with dark limy soils originally covered with little bluestem but now dotted with live oak groves, crosses the southeastern one-third. Source: The Handbook of Texas(Submitted on November 23, 2021, by James Hulse of Medina, Texas.)
Credits. This page was last revised on November 23, 2021. It was originally submitted on November 23, 2021, by James Hulse of Medina, Texas. This page has been viewed 146 times since then and 24 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. submitted on November 23, 2021, by James Hulse of Medina, Texas.