Fort Bend County Courthouse Richmond Texas. (original) (raw)
The 1908 Fort Bend County Courthouse
Photo courtesy Terry Jeanson, May 2006
The 1908 Fort Bend County Courthouse
Architect - C. H. Page & Bros.
Style - Classical Revival
Material - Brick
Nearly identical to the Hays County Courthouse in San Marcos - built the year before. Both were by C.H. Page and Brothers, architects. Ft. Benders bought the kit that included clock faces.
Historical Marker:
Fort Bend County Courthouse
This classical revival building is the fifth courthouse for Fort Bend County, which was organized in 1837. The structure was designed by C. H. Page of Austin and dedicated in 1909. The contractor was the Texas Building Company, also of Austin. Exterior styling features a dome, statue, and cornices of copper. The interior has a 3-story rotunda, mosaic tile floors, and green glazed tile wainscoting. Additions were made to the courthouse in 1935 and 1957.
Recorded Texas Historic Landmark - 1980
Fort Bend County Courthouse Update:
"A rededication for the 1908 courthouse was held on January 19, 2014 on the 105th anniversary of the original dedication on January 19, 1909. A meeting before the ceremony officially declared the 1908 building as "the courthouse" and the new Justice Center as the "auxiliary courthouse." The interior of the 1908 courthouse was restored to its original condition. The 1957 additions were demolished but the 1935 addition, designed by the same architects as the 1908 building, was left standing as it was considered architecturally compatible with the 1908 building." - Terry Jeanson, January 20, 2014
The 1908 Fort Bend County Courthouse as it appeared in 1939
Photo courtesy TXDoT
Fort Bend County Courthouse dome & clock tower
Photo courtesy Terry Jeanson, April 2005
Third floor rotunda. After removing several layers of old paint (at least seven in some places) the original colors of the walls were restored. Not surprisingly, the interior of the Fort Bend County courthouse is also similar to the Hays County Courthouse in San Marcos.
Photo courtesy Terry Jeanson, January 2014
Looking down into the rotunda from the third floor.
Photo courtesy Terry Jeanson, January 2014
Looking at the rotunda skylight from the first floor.
Photo courtesy Terry Jeanson, January 2014
Restored courtroom.
"I was told that everything but the judge's bench is original." "The Fort Bend County district courtroom retains its two-story height. The former district courtroom at the Hays County Courthouse has been split in half."
- Terry Jeanson, January 2014
"Courtroom balcony. The balcony once extended to the north wall of the building but was cut in half for office space and had been sealed off. Doors were installed to open up the balcony into the room behind it." - Terry Jeanson, January 2014
The Fort Bend County Justice Center
Photographer's Note:
Location - 1422 Eugene Heimann Circle
Designed by the architectural firm of Pierce, Goodwin, Alexander & Linville.
It was dedicated in May of 2011 and many of the county offices were moved there from the 1908 courthouse.
Fort Bend County Justice Center -
The "auxiliary courthouse."
Photo courtesy Terry Jeanson, January 2014
The 1887 Fort Bend County Courthouse
The 1887 Fort Bend County courthouse was very similar in appearance to the 1890-91 Bandera County courthouse when it was built. The clock tower on the 1887 courthouse was removed shortly afterwards. This courthouse stood on Morton St., where the current Richmond City Hall sits, and burned down ca. 1930.
A photo of the 1887Fort Bend County courthouse hanging in a second floor hallway.
Photo courtesy Terry Jeanson, January 2014
