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The
Lampasas County Courthouse today Photo courtesy Terry
Jeanson, December 2006 |
The
1883 Lampasas County Courthouse Today |
Lampasas
County Courthouse architural details Photo courtesy William
Beauchamp, July 2009 |
Lampasas
County Courthouse Staircase Photo courtesy Sarah
Reveley, 2006 |
Lampasas
County Courthouse interior Photo courtesy Sarah
Reveley, 2006 |
Lampasas
County Courthouse Historical Marker Photo courtesy Sarah
Reveley, 2006 |
Lampasas County
Courthouse Historical Marker TextAfter
the Texas Legislature created Lampasas County in 1856, official business of the
county was conducted from a variety of spaces and buildings. Land for the courthouse
square was set aside when the town of Lampasas was
platted in the 1850s. In 1882, the Gulf, Colorado and Santa Fe Railroad extended
their tracks to the county seat, bringing significant growth and prosperity to
the area.
In 1883, the Commissioners Court, with county judge W. P. Beall
presiding, hired Waco
architect Wesley
Clark Dodson to design the new courthouse. The building contractor (Kane Brothers)
and the stone contractors (T. Lovell and Company) executed Dodson's
plan, completing the building in 1884. Reflecting influences of the Second Empire
and Italianate styles of architecture, the Lampasas County Courthouse features
a central clock tower, arched windows and a mansard roof. In 1884, the Commissioners
Court authorized the city to place a Seth Thomas clock in the tower.
Since
its construction, the courthouse has been a focal point for city
and county activities, including local festivals. Floods in 1936 and 1957 damaged
the building, requiring repair and reconstruction. Today, the stately Lampasas
County Courthouse remains an outstanding example of the golden era of courthouse
construction in the state. It continues to serve as an important symbol of the
county's growth and development and as an influence on the historic character
of the county seat. |
The
1883 Lampasas County Courthouse
Vintage Photos
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The
1957 flood in Lampasas Photo courtesy texasoldphotos.com |
Lampasas
County courthouse as it appeared in 1939 Photo courtesy TXDoT |
Courthouse
with buggy Old photo courtesy THC |
The
1883 Lampasas County Courthouse
Under Restoration |
| Courthouse
Clock. TE photo, 2003 |
| Courthouse
tower. TE photo, 2003 |
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