Shackelford County Courthouse, Albany, Texas. (original) (raw)
The 1883 Shackelford County Courthouse
Photo courtesy Terry Jeanson, January 2007
The Present Shackelford County Courthouse
Date - 1883
Architect - J. E. Flanders
Style - Second Empire
Material - Native limestone
Recorded Texas Historic Landmark
Hwy 6 & Hwy180
Photographer's Note:
"The 1883 Shackelford County courthouse was the first courthouse restored under the Texas Historical Commission's Courthouse Preservation Program. It was rededicated on June 30, 2001. The architect, James Edward Flanders, designed eight or nine Second Empire style courthouses in Texas during the late 1800s, but the one in Shackelford County is the only one that remains." -
Shackelford County Courthouse as it appeared in 1939
Photo Courtesy TXDoT
Historical Marker Text
Shackelford County Courthouse
Built 1883-84 from plans by J. E. Flanders of Dallas, architect for several other 1880s Texas courthouses. Edgar Rye of Albany was construction superintendent. Kilted Scottish Masons erected the walls of stone quarried a few miles southwest of town. The foundations rest two feet deep on "natural concrete" (caliche). Budgeted at 27,000.00;finalcostwas27,000.00; final cost was 27,000.00;finalcostwas49,433.75. Clock tower was added at public's request.
Recorded Texas Historic Landmark, 1962
Shackelford County courthouse historical marker
Photo courtesy Terry Jeanson, January 2007
"Detail of the courthouse's clock tower. Although it would add to the cost of the construction, county residents requested the addition of a clock tower to their courthouse."
- Terry Jeanson
"The main floor hallway exhibits much of the building's detailed woodwork." - Terry Jeanson
"The centrally located, two-story district courtroom on the second floor rises from the front to the rear, enabling the judge to see everyone in the courtroom." - Terry Jeanson
More view of the courthouse
Photo courtesy Steve Johnson, May 2007
Another early view of the courthouse
Postcard courtesy www.rootsweb.com/ %7Etxpstcrd/
Shackelford County Courthouse etching
Courtesy GLO
The 1875 Shackelford County Courthouse
"Shackelford County was organized in 1874 and Albany beat out Fort Griffin for the county seat. County Sheriff H.C. Jacobs donated the land for the first county courthouse and in 1875, a 420' x 420' courthouse of picket construction was built in the middle of the courthouse square. In 1883, this building was removed from the square by restaurant owner Charles Hartfield and was used as a boarding house for the workers hired to construct the current courthouse. Courthouse offices were located in the Ballow-Keener building, a two-story stone building that stood on the northeast corner of the square, until the new courthouse was completed." - Terry Jeanson
Source - Texas Historical Commission County Atlas - National Register of Historic Places at http://atlas.thc.state.tx.us/shell-desig.htm