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county court houses that never were

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perterra

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I think I remember reading there are still some derelict court houses standing that were either built for a county seat change that never came, or for county seats that moved. I'm thinking one in the panhandle and one out west, maybe south of Pecos. Anyone got a better grip on it?
 
Dyna Sport found one of these somewhere on his run back from Big Bend to DFW in April after our rally out at Big Bend. He got a good shot of it. I just can't remember where it was :shrug: Hopefully he will see this and post it up.
 
I know that there was a move in Ward County from Barstow to Monahans in 1939, there are pics of the old courthouse in the McDonalds in Monahans.

Here is a site called Texas Courthouses with pics and info.
 
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Tourmeister said:
Dyna Sport found one of these somewhere on his run back from Big Bend to DFW in April after our rally out at Big Bend. He got a good shot of it. I just can't remember where it was :shrug: Hopefully he will see this and post it up.
Click to expand...

Two of them actually, but I don't remember where they were. :ponder:

Both were about turn of the century, one the town died, the other the town built up on the other side at the RR and jusy left the old one standing right outside town.

I may have put the town names in the BB ride report thread.

Ohh and I found both using geocache data I downloaded from the net and loaded on my GPS.
 
At least this one is on that sire, it's reagan counties first courthouse, or what's left of it. Link to it

I think this was the other one Link
 
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If I didn't know better( some say i don't but thats for another thread) they look like the same building same entrances, materials, widows. Courthouses made easy,
 
Off hand I can think of two at the moment, no coffee as yet ...

#1 - Irion County - The county seat moved from Sherwood to Merzon, a few miles south. The earlier courthouse is a beautiful building and there is a group trying to gin up interest in restoring it. A friend of mine (Main Street Manager in Sonora) is helping them and she keeps telling them to call me. I hope to turn it into a job someday.
http://www.tsha.utexas.edu/handbook/online/articles/MM/hlm60.html

#2 - Blanco County - The county seat moved from Blanco to Johnson City, a bit farther north. The earlier courthouse is standeing at the edge of 281 and has been restored and is in active use.
http://www.tsha.utexas.edu/handbook/online/articles/BB/hcb8.html

I love the Handbook of Texas Online
Reagan County - http://www.tsha.utexas.edu/handbook/online/articles/RR/hcr3.html

I'm sure there are others. For a really good book on the subject, consider getting a copy of The Courthouses of Texas: A Guide (Paperback)

I assume that every Texan has a copy of the Texas Almanac - This year is the Sesquicentennial Edition.

Another ... Historical Atlas of Texas (Paperback)
 
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And there is a geocache at the Sherwood, Irion County Courthouse, as well as at the marker on US67 for Irion County. Just an aside. Something to do if you GPS.
Bill
WB5ZAM
San Angelo
 
There is an old abandoned court house in Frio County........about an hour south of San Antonio. It is located in "Frio Town" which died when the railroad came through the area about 15 miles east of town. The town moved to what is now known as Pearsall and sits on the rairoad with a New courthouse building. The old town and courthouse are on private ranches along the Frio River west of Pearsall. You can see the old courthouse to your right if you travel the road between Pearsall and Uvalde. The old Frio Town cemetery is the only thing that is accessible to the public.
Thought ya'll might want to take a look at this one.
Later,
Currie

Here is a picture of the frio town courthouse:
Frio%20-%20Frio%20City%20-%20Retired.jpg
 
Wowie zowie, is that old Frio site accessible today? I may need to see that one. I'm another one that is on the hunt for the courthouses. Just saw that newer Red River County one the other day, but rain prevented me from doing much then. Hmmm, another ride may be in order.:rider:

Some in Collin County would know the story of "moving" the County Seat to the current site of McKinney. When I say moving, that's not like one might think, of re-starting County biz from a new site. In this case, improvements in surveying made them aware their Seat was three miles west of the county's center. They recruited teams of oxen, and physically moved the building where buisiness had been conducted.:lol2:
 
Tx Rider & currie s,
Thanks for the photos of those abandoned courthouses!
I imagine some traveling and trespassing is in my near future.
 
Here's a photo of the original Karnes County Courthouse in Helena:

410352640_FynQS-L.jpg


and the current one in Karnes City:

410352692_u2Kjw-L.jpg


Great thread!:clap:
 
What is the little bitty two story building in middle of the town square at Fayetteville? Maybe an old courhouse? Current county seat for Fayette County is La Grange
 
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