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The restored
Mills County Courthouse
Recorded Texas Historic Landmark
Photo courtesy Terry
Jeanson, August, 2011 |
The
Present Mills County Courthouse -
Goldthwaite, Texas
Completed in
1913 after their first
courthouse (c. 1890) burned
Architect - Henry Phelps
Style - Classical Revival
Material - Brick, stone and concrete
Address - 1011 Fourth St
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The 1913 Mills
County courthouse as it appeared in 1939
Photo courtesy TXDoT |
Historical Marker
Text
Mills County
Courthouse
Mills
County was formed in 1887, and citizens built a county jail in
Goldthwaite the following year.
In 1889, Goldthwaite was chosen
county seat, and Oscar Ruffini designed the first courthouse; it served
at this site from 1890 through 1912, when it was destroyed by fire.
The county hired noted San
Antonio architect Henry T. Phelps to design this courthouse, completed
in 1913 by the Gordon-Jones Construction Company. Phelps chose the
Classical Revival style for the three-story structure with basement,
using a rectangular form, a central, ornamental pediment and fluted,
engaged columns.
Recorded Texas Historic Landmark - 2002 |
Mills County
Courthouse historical marker
Photo courtesy Terry
Jeanson, April 2005 |
Photographer's
Notes:
"In January of 2008, Mills County was awarded a grant of $5 million
by the Texas Historical Commission for the restoration of their courthouse."
- Terry
Jeanson
"Mills County Courthouse Rededication -
The ceremony was held in the courtroom. It was a great turnout and
a lot more intimate than the one in Houston. I had always said that
if this courthouse could get restored someday, it would be beautiful.
Turns out, I was right. I didn't hear one complaint. Even the acoustics
in the courtroom are good, unlike the echo sometimes found in other
restored courtrooms." - Terry
Jeanson
Mills County
Courthouse Historical Marker |
East side entrance
to the courthouse
Photo courtesy Terry
Jeanson, August, 2011 |
Mills County
Courthouse northwest corner
Photo courtesy Terry
Jeanson, August, 2011 |
Main staircase
from the front entrance
Photo courtesy Terry
Jeanson, August, 2011 |
Looking up into
the rotunda at the skylight from the main floor.
Photo courtesy Terry
Jeanson, August, 2011 |
Looking down
into the rotunda from the top floor
Photo courtesy Terry
Jeanson, August, 2011 |
The district
courtroom from the upper balcony
Photo courtesy Terry
Jeanson, August, 2011 |
In the district
courtroom looking at the rear balcony
Photo courtesy Terry
Jeanson, August, 2011 |
The rotunda outside
the courtroom.
The left side is what it looked like on January 5, 2006.
The right side is the day of the rededication, August 27, 2011
Photo courtesy Terry
Jeanson |
The district
courtroom.
The top is what it looked like on January 26, 2007.
The bottom is the day of the rededication, August 27, 2011.
Photo courtesy Terry
Jeanson |
"In one
of the basement rooms, early advertisements were found on the walls
when they were painting and they were preserved. The story I heard
is that the advertisements were placed there because of the frequent
use of a public bathroom that was in the basement."
- Terry
Jeanson |
Bank advertisement
preserved on one of the basement walls.
Photo courtesy Terry
Jeanson, August, 2011 |
Mills County
Courthouse under restoration
Photo courtesy Terry
Jeanson, October 2010 |
The first (1890)
Mills County Courthouse and courthouse square
1908 photo courtesy texasoldphotos.com |
The 1890 Mills
County Courthouse
1907 photo courtesy texasoldphotos.com |
| "The cornerstone
from the 1890 courthouse, which burned in 1912, is sitting in front
of the current courthouse. The architect, Oscar
Ruffini, used the same plans for the 1891 Sutton
County Courthouse. The plans were also previously used by the
architect's brother, Frederick Ruffini, to design courthouses in Blanco
County, Callahan County and Concho
County." - Terry
Jeanson, October 2010 |
Photographer's
Note:
"It seems funny that this central Texas county was organized
after some of the Panhandle counties. One of my favorite articles
on TE is "Sagging
Symbols" by Dwight Young. Mr. Young makes a reference to some
of the Texas
courthouses being "the architectural paperweight that kept the
town from blowing away." I think that is certainly true in Goldthwaite."
- Terry
Jeanson, October 12, 2010 |
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