Gainesville in Cooke County, Texas — The American South (West South Central)

Cooke County Courthouse

Photographed by Gary Estep, January 9, 2026

1. Cooke County Courthouse Marker

Restored marker

Inscription. Settlement of the area now known as Cooke County began in late 1845. The county was created by the State Legislature in 1848 and named for William G. Cooke, Republic of Texas Quartermaster General and a participant in the Battle of San Jacinto. Land for a county seat was donated by Mary E. Clark, and the new town was Gainesville in honor of U.S. Army General Edmund Pendleton Gaines.

There have been four courthouses located on this site. The first, a small log structure, was erected in 1850. It was replaced in 1853 by a one-story frame building which was later destroyed by fire. The third courthouse, a two-story limestone structure, was completed in 1880 and destroyed by fire in 1909.

Designed by the Dallas architectural firm of Lang and Witchell, construction of this Beaux Arts style courthouse began in 1910. The Gainesville firm of Garrett and Collins served as supervising architects, and M. P. Kelly of Gainesville was the contractor. The impressive brick and limestone building features terra cotta ornamentation, eagle brackets, and a copper-clad dome. Clocks were added to the dome in 1920 as a World War I memorial. The courthouse is an important North Texas Landmark.
Recorded Texas Historic Landmark

Erected 1988 by Texas Historical Commission.

Paid Advertisement

Click or scan to see
this page online

(Marker Number 1055.)

Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Architecture • Landmarks • Notable Buildings • Settlements & Settlers. A significant historical year for this entry is 1845.

Location. 33° 37.432′ N, 97° 8.728′ W. Marker is in Gainesville, Texas, in Cooke County. It is at the intersection of South Dixon Street and West Main Street, on the right when traveling south on South Dixon Street. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 100 South Dixon Street, Gainesville TX 76240, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in the Prairies & Lakes Region.

It is also in the American South.

Globally, it is in North America,

a Gulf of Mexico state,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once New Spain,

the Republic of Texas,

one of the Confederate States of America,

and the Antebellum South.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: The Old California Trail (within shouting distance of this marker); Gainesville National Bank (within shouting distance of this marker); Barbed Wire in Cooke County (about 300 feet away, measured in a direct line); Old City Hall-Fire Station (about 400 feet away); W. T. G. Weaver (approx. 0.2 miles away); Potter-Hurley House (approx. 0.2 miles away); Cooke County Free Library (approx. 0.2 miles away); First United Methodist Church (approx. 0.2 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Gainesville.

Also see . . . Texas Escapes on the Cooke County Courthouse. (Submitted on September 8, 2016, by Mark Hilton of Montgomery, Alabama.)

Photographed by Mark Hilton, July 21, 2016

2. Cooke County Courthouse Marker

Cooke County Courthouse image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Mark Hilton, July 21, 2016

3. Cooke County Courthouse

Photographed by Mark Hilton, July 21, 2016

4. Cooke County Courthouse & Marker

2006 Courthouse renovation plaque. image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Mark Hilton, July 21, 2016

5. 2006 Courthouse renovation plaque.

Credits. This page was last revised on January 12, 2026. It was originally submitted on September 8, 2016, by Mark Hilton of Montgomery, Alabama. This page has been viewed 803 times since then and 55 times this year. Photos: 1. submitted on January 9, 2026, by Gary Estep of Anna, Texas. 2, 3, 4, 5. submitted on September 8, 2016, by Mark Hilton of Montgomery, Alabama.