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The 1919 Refugio County Courthouse, obscured by the trees.
Photo courtesy Terry
Jeanson, January 2005 |
The
Present Refugio County Courthouse
- Refugio, Texas
Date - 1919
Architect - Atlee B. Ayres
Style - Texas Renaissance
Material
- Brick
The 1919 Courthouse is one of many in South
Texas designed by Atlee
B. Ayres of San Antonio.
Photographer's Note:
"The 1919 Refugio County courthouse:
The
north and south side additions built in the early 1950s have greatly altered the
appearance (and appeal) of the original building." - Terry
Jeanson
There have been 5 courthouses for Refugio County.
The 1880 courthouse was supposedly burned by county employees when the commissioners
refused to build a new one. See historical marker below: |
Refugio County Courthouses historical marker
Photo courtesy Terry
Jeanson, January 2005 |
Historical
Marker TextRefugio
County CourthousesThe
county and city of Refugio are named after the
Spanish Mission De Nuestra Señora Del Refugio (the Mission of our Lady of Refuge)
established here in 1795. The Spanish mission building served as Refugio County's
courthouse at various times form 1837 to 1848.
Construction of a permanent
county courthouse began about 1850 here on the town's central plaza, dedicated
for municipal buildings when Refugio was a Mexican
pueblo (1821-1836). The one-story courthouse, made from shell concrete and cypress
lumber, was enlarged to a two-story structure in the late 1850s. A new courthouse,
built in the mid-1870s, burned in 1879 and was replaced with a new structure in
the late 1850s. A new courthouse, built in the mid-1870s, burned in 1879 and was
replaced with a new structure in 1880. The fifth Refugio County courthouse, designed
by San Antonio architect Atlee
B. Ayres and built by local contractor W.H. Borglud, was completed at this
site in December 1917.
In the 1920s oil and natural gas were discovered
in significant quantities throughout Refugio County. The burgeoning oil and gas
industries led to an increase in population and business activity in the county,
and in the 1950s the county courthouse was expanded with the addition of north
and south wings. Refugio County courthouse continues its traditional role as the
county's governmental and judical center.
Sesquicentennial
of Texas Statehood 1845-1995 |
 |
Refugio County Courthouse entrance
Photo courtesy Terry
Jeanson, January 2005 |
| "This
vintage picture of the courthouse in its original condition is hanging in the
foyer at the front entrance." - Terry
Jeanson, , August 08, 2008 |
Old
postcard view of the 1911 Refugio County Courthouse
Courtesy rootsweb.com/
%7Etxpstcrd/ |
| Refugio
County Courthouse as it appeared in 1939
Photo courtesy TXDoT
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