|
|
The Present
Liberty County Courthouse
- Liberty, Texas
Date - c.1930
Architect - Corneil G. Curtis and A. E. Thomas
Style - Moderne
Material - Concrete and brick
See Cornerstone |
Libertiy County
Courthouse as it appeared in 1939
Photo courtesy TXDoT |
Historical Marker
Text:
SEVEN COURTHOUSES
OF LIBERTY COUNTY
The town of Liberty
served as the seat of government for the municipality of Liberty,
one of 23 territories in Texas established by Mexico in the 1830s.
The first courthouse was erected here in 1831 and was made of hewn
logs. Municipalities were converted into counties in 1836 when Texas
won independence from Mexico; Liberty
became the county seat of Liberty
County.
Constructed in 1840, the second courthouse was a one-story frame house,
with split cypress boards. A third courthouse, a two-story frame structure,
was built on this Square in the mid-1840s and measured 32 feet by
40 feet. The first floor served as the courtroom.
Liberty County's
fourth courthouse, completed by 1857, was fabricated of brick and
financed primarily from the sale of land owned by the town of Liberty.
Fire destroyed that courthouse in 1872. The fifth courthouse, also
constructed of brick, was completed in 1877 but deteriorated rapidly
and after only 18 years was condemned and removed from the Square.
Members of Liberty's Masonic Lodge
laid the cornerstone for the sixth courthouse in 1895. The three-story
structure was a popular local gathering place. The seventh courthouse,
built of Texas Cordova cream limestone was completed in 1931 and enlarged
in 1957. |
 |
District Courtroom
"I was told that this is the 2nd largest district courtroom of
all the county courthouses in Texas." - Terry
Jeanson |
| West side addition
to the courthouse. Designed by architect Wyatt C. Hedrick, it was
built between 1956 and 1957. - Terry
Jeanson |
Cornerstone of
the 1896 Liberty County courthouse.
The builders are listed as Martin, Byrne, Johnston & Applegate. The
1275 pound granite cornerstone was donated by contractor William Martin.
- Terry
Jeanson |
The
1896 Liberty County courthouse.
This Second Empire style courthouse was built of brick and cost $35,757
to build.
Photo courtesy THC |
|
|
HOME
