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The
Brewster County Courthouse in Alpine is the only one they ever had
(like neighboring Marfa).
It was built in 1877, by an architect who has since been forgotten.
It comes with a matching
jail and there's even a traditional piece of artillery on its
east lawn.
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Alpine
Hotels |
Brewster
County Courthouse
Photo courtesy Barclay Gibson, April 2002 |
Another
view of the Brewster County Courthouse
Photo courtesy Barclay Gibson, April 2002 |
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The
courthouse today
A freak ice-storm severely damaged the pecan trees in September, 2000
TE Photo, August 2000 |
A
letter from Tommy R. Woodward, former Alpine resident and West Texas
Historian:
COURTHOUSE IN ALPINE COMPLETED IN 1887 BUT NO
ONE SEEMS TO KNOW WHO BUILT IT.
No one seems to know who built the courthouse in Alpine. In 1940 when
The Avalanche issued its 50th anniversary edition, an effort was made
to find out who did the work, but no body knew. The report, given
then, is all that is known today-unless somebody is keeping secrets.
On March 14, 1887, soon after Brewster County was organized, the commissioners
ordered that architects be contacted by letter to discuss plans for
a courthouse and jail, the former to cost no more than $12,000 to
$15,000, and the jail to cost no more than $12,000.
A little later bonds were voted in the sum of $28,000, and either
that amount or $27,000 was expended for the two buildings - the courthouse
and jail both stand today, giving good service.
Two or three men got the contract for the buildings, but all the scurrying
around that has been possible for one newsman in a comparatively limited
time has failed to unearth the names of the contractors. Even the
dependables for old-time information - Judge Van Sickle, Mrs. Walter
Garnett or Mrs. J. C. Bird could not recall. |
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Brewster
County Courthouse as it appeared in 1939
Photo courtesy TXDoT |
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Brewster
County Courthouse
Postcard courtesy rootsweb.com/
%7Etxpstcrd/ |
BRICKS
MADE HERE
However, it is said that the contractors burned their own bricks for
the building, or had a man to do the work. They were burned in kilns
near Ranger canyon, and the name of Harry Dryden kept bobbing up in
connection with the job. Still, it is not certain, so far as could
be discovered, that Mr. Dryden ran the kiln. He did burn bricks later,
if not then, and it said the rear part, at least, of the building
on 5th Street, now occupied by the Stephenson laundry, which housed
the post office until four or five years ago was built of Dryden brick.
Mrs. J. C. Bird recalled distinctly however, and so did her nephew,
James W. Walker, that J.C. Bird burned the lime that made the mortar
that held the bricks together. This was done also, it is understood,
somewhere near Ranger canyon, west of town.
The courthouse was finished probably in November 1887, and throughout
its construction the county commissioners met every few days, or at
least quite often as is shown by their minutes, but not a word could
be found in regard to the contractors, nor anything else relative
to the construction. |
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The
Brewster County Courthouse rear view
TE Photo |
(Copied
from the Alpine Avalanche 60th Anniversary, dated September
14, 1951)
Also see: Woodward, Tommy R., "J. C. Bird: A Big Bend Pioneer."
The Journal of Big Bend Studies, Volume V, Alpine, Texas:
Sul Ross State University Press, January 1993, 15-36.
Final note: Mrs. J. C. Bird, above mentioned, was my Great
Aunt. - Tommy R. Woodward, Midland, November 2, 2001
Our
sincere thanks to Mr. Woodward for his contribution.
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