| |
The
1894 Karnes County courthouse under restoration.
Photo courtesy Terry
Jeanson, January 2012 |
Historical
Marker Text Karnes
County CourthouseIn
1854 Karnes County erected its first courthouse in the county seat of Helena,
an important stage stop between San
Antonio and Goliad. The original
courthouse was destroyed in a storm about 1865 and a new
stone courthouse was built in Helena
in 1873.
In the mid-1880s the citizens of Helena refused to grant right-of-way
and cash concessions sought by the San Antonio and Aransas Pass Railroad to route
its proposed rail line through the town. As a result, the railroad bypassed Helena
as it built a line through Karnes County in 1886-87. By 1893 the railroad town
of Karnes City, established here in 1891,
had surpassed Helena
in population and political clout. Karnes City
was chosen the new county seat on December 21, 1893.
Karnes County officials
let bids for a new courthouse and jail on January 4, 1894. They received bids
from prominent Texas courthouse designers Alfred
Giles and J.
Riely Gordon, but awarded the contract to design and build a new county courthouse
at this site to John Cormack. Cormack died before finishing the structure and
his business associate J. A. Austin completed the job. The courthouse was dedicated
on October 25, 1894, and completed on May 29, 1895. Its original turrets and clock
tower were removed during 1920s remodeling.
1994 |
| The
courthouse & jail
Early 1900s photo courtesy texasoldphotos.com | |
| The
courthouse as it appeared in 1915
Photo courtesy texasoldphotos.com | |
The
Present Karnes County Courthouse
-
Karnes City Date
- 1894
Architect - John Cormack
Style - Romanesque Revival |
"South
side of the Karnes County courthouse with the modern addition at the rear. The
former entrance on the south side is still visible."
-
Terry
Jeanson, August, 2007 photo |
The
1894 Karnes County courthouse
Photo courtesy Terry
Jeanson, August, 2007 |
The
1894 Karnes County Courthouse as it appeared in 1939.
Photo courtesy TXDoT |
"The
cornerstone on the northeast corner has a dedication to architect John Cormack
who died during the building's construction."
- Terry
Jeanson, August, 2007 photo |
"The
south side entrance is no longer accessible."
- Terry
Jeanson, August, 2007 |
| More
exposed brick on the southeast corner
Terry
Jeanson, August, 2007 |
"Stress
from the rear addition has contributed to the cracking in the stucco, revealing
the original brick exterior."
- Terry
Jeanson, August, 2007 |
Still
standing in Helena,
the former county seat.
Architect - John Jacob Riley |
| Texas
Escapes, in its purpose to preserve historic, endangered and vanishing
Texas, asks that anyone wishing to share their local history and vintage/historic
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