Marfa in Presidio County, Texas — The American South (West South Central)

Presidio County Courthouse

Photographed By Bill Kirchner, October 22, 2012

1. Presidio County Courthouse Marker

Inscription. Click to hear the inscription.

A landmark of the Big Bend. Large dome is visible for miles. Constructed of native stone and brick made at Marfa. Stucco added later.

Built 1886 in this county's third seat of justice. First county seat was Fort Leaton, on the Rio Grande; second, Fort Davis.
Recorded Texas Historic Landmark - 1964

Erected 1964 by State Historical Survey Committee. (Marker Number 4117.)

Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Notable Buildings. A significant historical year for this entry is 1886.

Location. 30° 18.801′ N, 104° 1.32′ W. Marker is in Marfa, Texas, in Presidio County. Marker is at the intersection of East Lincoln Street (State Highway 17) and Highland Street (State Highway 17), on the right when traveling west on East Lincoln Street. Marker is just to the right of the entrance. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 300 Highland Street, Marfa TX 79843, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within one mile of this marker, measured as the crow flies. St. Paul's Episcopal Church (within shouting distance of this marker); El Paisano Hotel

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(about 400 feet away, measured in a direct line); Hunter Gymnasium (approx. ¼ mile away); Humphris-Humphreys House (approx. ¼ mile away); Blackwell School (approx. half a mile away); Fort D.A. Russell (approx. 0.7 miles away); Building 98, Fort D. A. Russell (approx. 0.9 miles away); Presidio (approx. one mile away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Marfa.

Also see . . .
1. Presidio County Courthouse.
The 1886 Courthouse is the only one they've ever had. The county seat was moved from Fort Davis in 1885. Alfred Giles, famed English-born architect designed this Second Empire stone and brick building. (Submitted on March 20, 2017, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.)

2. Presidio County Courthouse.
San Antonio architect Alfred Giles beat out eighteen other competitors to submit the winning bid on designing the 1886 courthouse at a cost of $60,000. Giles modeled the Second Empire style building after the El Paso courthouse he also designed in 1886. When the structure was completed, the county held a celebratory grand ball on January 1, 1887. (Submitted on March 20, 2017, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.)

Photographed By Bill Kirchner, October 22, 2012

2. Presidio County Courthouse Marker

3. Early Picture of Presidio County Courthouse.
Photograph of the Presidio County courthouse in the middle of an open desert landscape. There is a small wooden building on the left of the courthouse and a stone building to the far right of the courthouse. The image accompanied a written speech, with the caption: "The courthouse and jail in Marfa were built in 1886 from local brick and stone." (Submitted on March 20, 2017, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.)