McCulloch County Courthouse

	McCulloch County Courthouse
	U.S. National Register of Historic Places
	Texas State Antiquities Landmark
	Recorded Texas Historic Landmark
	McCulloch County Courthouse in 2010
	McCulloch County Courthouse McCulloch County Courthouse
Location	Public Square; Brady, Texas
Coordinates	31°9′6″N99°20′5″W / 31.15167°N 99.33472°W Coordinates: 31°9′6″N99°20′5″W / 31.15167°N 99.33472°W
Area	2 acres (0.81 ha)
Built	1899
Architect	Martin & Moodie
Architectural style	Richardsonian Romanesque
NRHP reference #	77001515 [1]
TSAL #	469
RTHL #	3286
Significant dates
Added to NRHP	December 16, 1977
Designated TSAL	May 28, 1981
Designated RTHL	1967

Last updated September 10, 2019

The McCulloch County Courthouse is located in Brady, McCulloch County, in the U.S. state of Texas. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places listings in McCulloch County, Texas in 1977, and became a Recorded Texas Historic Landmark in 1967.^[2]

Brady is a city in McCulloch County, Texas, United States. Brady refers to itself as "The Heart of Texas", as it is the closest city to the geographical center of the state, which is about 15 miles northeast of Brady. The population was 5,528 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of McCulloch County.

McCulloch County is a county located on the Edwards Plateau in the U.S. state of Texas. At the 2010 census, its population was 8,283. Its county seat is Brady. The county was created in 1856 and later organized in 1876. It is named for Benjamin McCulloch, a famous Texas Ranger and Confederate general.

In the United States, a state is a constituent political entity, of which there are currently 50. Bound together in a political union, each state holds governmental jurisdiction over a separate and defined geographic territory and shares its sovereignty with the federal government. Due to this shared sovereignty, Americans are citizens both of the federal republic and of the state in which they reside. State citizenship and residency are flexible, and no government approval is required to move between states, except for persons restricted by certain types of court orders.

History

This is the second courthouse to serve McCulloch County. The first county building was erected in 1879. The current courthouse was completed in 1900, and the datestone was laid by the Brady Lodge of the Freemasons on September 29, 1899. Martin & Moodie of Comanche are listed as the builders, with no separate name for an architect.^[3] When the decision was made in 1899 to erect a new courthouse, Martin & Moodie submitted their proposal and were awarded the contract.^[4] The new three-story sandstone courthouse was in the Richardson Romanesque style, and bears some semblance to the style of architect James Riely Gordon.^[5] While the clock tower has areas designed for a clock on each of the four sides, no clock is installed. The courthouse underwent a renovation in 2009, part of which gave the structure a red roof.^[3] In both 1936 and 1938, Brady Creek (San Saba River) overflowed its banks and caused flooding in and around the courthouse.^[6]

A datestone is typically an embedded stone with the date of engraving and other information carved into it. They are not considered a very reliable source for dating a house, as instances of old houses being destroyed and rebuilt have been reported, or may in some cases be the date of a renovation or alteration.

Freemasonry or Masonry consists of fraternal organisations that trace their origins to the local fraternities of stonemasons that from the end of the fourteenth century regulated the qualifications of stonemasons and their interaction with authorities and clients. The degrees of Freemasonry retain the three grades of medieval craft guilds, those of Apprentice, Journeyman or fellow, and Master Mason. The candidate of these three degrees is progressively taught the meanings of the symbols of Freemasonry, and entrusted with grips, signs and words to signify to other members that he has been so initiated. The degrees are part allegorical morality play and part lecture. Three degrees are offered by Craft Freemasonry, and members of any of these degrees are known as Freemasons or Masons. There are additional degrees, which vary with locality and jurisdiction, and are usually administered by their own bodies.

Comanche is a city located in Comanche County in the U.S. state of Texas. The population was 4,335 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Comanche County. Comanche is a popular stop for hunters.

Heart of Texas monument

In 1963, the Texas Historical Commission designated the geographical center of Texas as being located 5 miles (8.0 km) northwest of Brady.^[7] On the courthouse grounds is a Heart of Texas granite marker designed by Earl V. Finlay. The actual carving and inscription were done in 1958 by Brady native son Gary Bryson. Funding for the 7 feet 6 inches (2.29 m) monument was provided by the Brady Chamber of Commerce and the McCulloch County Commissioners' Court.^[8]

The Texas Historical Commission is an agency dedicated to historic preservation within the state of Texas. It administers the National Register of Historic Places for sites in Texas.

Related Research Articles

Richardsonian Romanesque is a style of Romanesque Revival architecture named after architect Henry Hobson Richardson (1838–1886), whose masterpiece is Trinity Church, Boston (1872–1877), designated a National Historic Landmark. Richardson first used elements of the style in his Richardson Olmsted Complex in Buffalo, New York, designed in 1870.

James Riely Gordon was an architect who practiced in San Antonio until 1902 and then in New York City, where he established a national reputation. J. Riely Gordon is best known for his landmark county courthouses, in particular those in Texas. Working during the state's "Golden Age" (1883–1898) of courthouse construction, Gordon saw 18 of his designs erected from 1885 to 1901; today 12 remain.

The Caldwell County Courthouse is a historic courthouse located in Lockhart, Texas, United States. The courthouse was built in 1894 to replace the existing courthouse, which was too small for the growing county. The courthouse was designated a Recorded Texas Historic Landmark in 1976 and was listed on the National Register of Historic Places as a contributing property of the Caldwell County Courthouse Historic District on January 3, 1978.

The Bandera County Courthouse and Jail are two separate historic county governmental buildings located near each other in Bandera, Bandera County, Texas, The Bandera County Courthouse, built in 1890 at the corner of Main and Pecan streets, is a Renaissance Revival style building designed by San Antonio architect B.F. Trester. It is three-story building with a central clock tower made from rusticated limestone cut from a local quarry. The current jail is a non-historic, modern facility located along State Highway 16 on the north end of town.

The Bastrop County Courthouse is a historic courthouse built in 1883 at 803 Pine St, Bastrop, Texas. The Renaissance Revival style building was designed by Jasper N. Preston and F.E. Ruffini. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places on November 20, 1975.

The Gonzales County Courthouse is located in Gonzales, capital of the county of the same name in the U.S. state of Texas. It was designated a Recorded Texas Historic Landmark in 1966 and was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1972.

The Llano County Courthouse and Jail were erected separately, but added to the National Register of Historic Places in Texas on December 2, 1977 as one entry. The courthouse, located in the middle of Llano's historic square, was built in 1893. The exterior is made of sandstone, marble, and granite. The interior of the courthouse was damaged by fire in 1932 and again in 1951. It is still in use today by local government. The jail was erected in 1895, with the prisoner cells on the second and third floors, and the ground level solely for the office and living accommodations for the sheriff and his family. The jail was designated a Recorded Texas Historic Landmark 1979, Marker 9448. The courthouse was designated a Recorded Texas Historic Landmark 1980, Marker number 9446.

The Hood County Courthouse Historic District in Granbury, Hood County, Texas encompasses 12 acres of land. The principal building in and the focal point of the district is the historic Hood County Courthouse built in 1890-1891. Other major buildings include the 1885 Hood County Jailhouse, the 1885 First National Bank Building, the 1891 building which formerly housed the Hood County News, the 1893 Aston-Landers Saloon Building, the 1893 Nutt Brothers Building and the 1886 Granbury Opea House. On June 5, 1974, the district was added to the National Register of Historic Places. The nomination form called it "one of the most complete nineteenth century courthouse squares in Texas." The district is also recognized as a State Antiquities Landmark and includes several Recorded Texas Historic Landmarks.

The Milam County Courthouse and Jail are two separate historic county governmental buildings located diagonally opposite each other in Cameron, Milam County, Texas. The Milam County Courthouse, located at 100 South Fannin Avenue, was built in 1890-1892, while the Milam County Jail, now known as the Milam County Museum, was built in 1895. On December 20, 1977, they were added to the National Register of Historic Places as a single entry.

The Wilson County Courthouse and Jail are located in Floresville, Texas. They were added to the National Register of Historic Places in Texas in 1978 and the courthouse as a Recorded Texas Historic Landmark in 1984.

The Fredericksburg Memorial Library, also known as the Pioneer Memorial Library or the Old Courthouse, is located at 115 W. Main Street, Fredericksburg, Gillespie County, in the U.S. state of Texas. Designed by Alfred Giles, it was built in 1882 to replace the original 1855 courthouse, and was later superseded by the current 1939 courthouse designed by Edward Stein. The first floor houses the Pioneer Memorial Library, while the second floor functions as community hall. It is often called the McDermott Building because of the 1967 and 1984 restorations funded by Mr. & Mrs. Eugene McDermott. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1971, and was designated a Recorded Texas Historic Landmark in 1967.

The Presidio County Courthouse is located in Marfa, Presidio County in the U.S. state of Texas. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1977. It was designated a Recorded Texas Historic Landmark in 1964.

Brooks County Courthouse is located in Falfurrias, in the U.S. state of Texas. The structure was designed by Alfred Giles in 1914 in the Classic revival style. Prior to the erection of the brick county courthouse, local government housed itself in rented space. The courthouse was named a Recorded Texas Historic Landmark in 1977. Renovation began on the courthouse in 2006.

Alfred Giles (1853–1920) was a British architect who emigrated to the United States in 1873 at the age of 20. Many of the private homes and public buildings designed by Giles are on the National Register of Historic Places and have been designated Recorded Texas Historic Landmarks. Based in San Antonio, his buildings can be found predominantly in south Texas and northern Mexico. Giles is credited with "a profound influence on architecture in San Antonio."

The Comal County Courthouse is located in New Braunfels in the U.S. state of Texas. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in Comal County, Texas in 1976 and designated a Recorded Texas Historic Landmark in 1993.

The Old McCulloch County Jail is located in Brady, McCulloch County, in the U.S. state of Texas. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places listings in McCulloch County, Texas in 1975, and became a Recorded Texas Historic Landmark in 1976. In 1963, the Texas Historical Commission designated the geographical center of Texas as being located 5 miles (8.0 km) northwest of Brady. The old jail became the Heart of Texas Historical Museum in 1974. A granite monument to the center of Texas can be found on the grounds of the McCulloch County Courthouse.

The Parker County Courthouse is an historic building located at Courthouse Square in Weatherford, Texas, the seat of Parker County. Built in 1884–1886, it was the county's fourth courthouse; the first was a wooden building, and the second and third both burned down. Architect Wesley Clark Dodson, who designed at least six courthouses in Texas, designed the Second Empire building. The three-story limestone building is visually divided into five bays; the end and central bays are projecting and feature stone pilasters at their corners. The second-story windows are tall and arched, and the roof line features bracketing around the eaves. The red shingled roof has two mansards atop the ends and a three-story tower in the center; each piece features dormers and a widow's walk, while the tower has louvers and a clock on its upper stories.

The Gray County Courthouse in Pampa, Texas was built in 1929. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1998.

Hill County Courthouse Courthouse building in Hillsboro, Hill County, Texas

The Hill County Courthouse is a courthouse building in the town of Hillsboro, Hill County, Texas. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1971. The building was designed by architect W.C. Dodson using a Second Empire style. It was completed in 1890.

References

↑ "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places . National Park Service. 2010-07-09.
↑ "RTHL McCulloch County Courthouse". Texas Historical Commission. Retrieved 22 September 2011.
1 2 "TE McCullough courthouse". Texas Escapes. Blueprints For Travel, LLC. Retrieved 22 September 2011.
↑ "NRHP McCullouch County Courthouse". Texas Historical Commission. Retrieved 22 September 2011.
↑ Henry, Jay C (1993). Architecture in Texas, 1895–1945 . University of Texas Press. pp. 17–19. ISBN 978-0-292-73072-4.
↑ Burnett, Jonathan (2008). Flash Floods in Texas. TAMU Press. p. 123. ISBN 978-1-58544-590-5.
↑ "THC Geographic Center of Texas". Texas Historical Commission. Retrieved 22 September 2011.
↑ Little, Carol Morris (1996). A Comprehensive Guide to Outdoor Sculpture in Texas. University of Texas Press. p. 100. ISBN 978-0-292-76036-3.

External links

Media related to McCulloch County Courthouse at Wikimedia Commons

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[nris-1] "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places . National Park Service. 2010-07-09.

[2] "RTHL McCulloch County Courthouse". Texas Historical Commission. Retrieved 22 September 2011.

[TE-3] 1 2 "TE McCullough courthouse". Texas Escapes. Blueprints For Travel, LLC. Retrieved 22 September 2011.

[NRHP-4] "NRHP McCullouch County Courthouse". Texas Historical Commission. Retrieved 22 September 2011.

[5] Henry, Jay C (1993). Architecture in Texas, 1895–1945 . University of Texas Press. pp. 17–19. ISBN 978-0-292-73072-4.

[6] Burnett, Jonathan (2008). Flash Floods in Texas. TAMU Press. p. 123. ISBN 978-1-58544-590-5.

[7] "THC Geographic Center of Texas". Texas Historical Commission. Retrieved 22 September 2011.

[8] Little, Carol Morris (1996). A Comprehensive Guide to Outdoor Sculpture in Texas. University of Texas Press. p. 100. ISBN 978-0-292-76036-3.

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v t e Municipalities and communities of McCulloch County, Texas, United States
County seat: Brady
City	Brady	McCulloch County map
Town	Melvin
Unincorporated communities	Doole Fife Lohn Mercury Milburn Pear Valley Placid Rochelle Salt Gap Voca
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