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The 1883 Shackelford
County Courthouse
Photo courtesy Terry
Jeanson, January 2007 |
The Present
Shackelford County Courthouse
- Albany, Texas
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." - Terry
Jeanson |
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; final cost was $49,433.75. 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 |
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