Ector County Courthouses, Odessa, Texas. (original) (raw)
The Present Ector County Courthouse -
Date - 1964
Architect - Peters and Fields
Style - Moderne
Material - Concrete and steel
Location - 3rd & Grant Ave.
The building is built around the 1938 courthouse. It has all the distinctive characteristics of the period.
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Ector County Courthouse Historical Marker
Photo courtesy Terry Jeanson
Historical Marker: (on the courthouse square)
Ector County Courthouse
Seat of justice for Ector, created out of Tom Green County in 1887 and organized in 1891.
The 1891 courthouse was frame, the remodelled town sanitarium, moved to the present square. Its first floor had rooms for the sheriff, court clerks and Odessa school, while the county and district courtroom was upstairs. As the only public building in town, it provided space for dances, socials and church services. Picnics and baptizings were held at the windmill and tank on the northwest corner of the square. As townsite restriction banned the sale of liquor, Odessa was usually quiet. However, fights broke out when settlers rushed to the courthouse to file claims on public lands.
In 1904 a 2-story red stone courthouse was built just east of the early one. On the lawn in 1906 the Christian church was organized. At that time Odessa had 400 people and little hope for growth, because of droughts and their effects on cattle raising.
After oil discoveries of 1926 stimulated Ector's development, a 3-story cement building was erected in 1938.
The fourth structure was dedicated April 12, 1964, by governor John Connally.
1964
The 1964 Ector County Courthouse
Postcard courtesy www.rootsweb.com/ %7Etxpstcrd/
The 1938 Ector County Courthouse
Architect - Elmer Withers
The 1938 Ector County Courthouse
1939 Photo courtesy TXDoT
Another view of the 1938 Ector County Courthouse
Postcard courtesy www.rootsweb.com/ %7Etxpstcrd/
Postcard text: "Beautiful Modern Ector County Court House"
Postcard courtesy www.rootsweb.com/ %7Etxpstcrd/
Oil painting of the 1904 2-story red stone Ector County courthouse displayed at east side entrance of current courthouse.
The 1904 Ector County Courthouse
1930 photo courtesy THC