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The
1906 Hartley County Courthouse
Photo courtesy Terry
Jeanson, March 2008 |
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Historical Marker
Texas
Hartley County
Courthouse
Hartley
County was created in January 1891, and an election held that
year designated the town of Hartley
as county seat. A frame courthouse was built on the town square.
In October 1896, largely due to XIT
Ranch interests, a second election was held which resulted in
the removal of the county seat to Channing.
The frame courthouse was dismantled and moved to the new county seat,
where it was reconstructed.
In May 1905 the commissioners court approved the construction of a
new courthouse. Contracts were awarded to Solan & Wickens, contractors,
and O. G. Roquemore, architect. The 2-story, structure was completed
in October 1906 at a cost of $10,525. The beaux arts style building
features a triumphal arch on the front facade, native sandstone base,
and Roman Ionic paired columns. When completed, the top story provided
a courtroom and two offices, and there were five offices and a lobby
on the first floor. At the time of construction, the building was
served by its own water well and lighting system. A vault was added
to the county clerk's office in 1927. A second vault and jury dormitories
were built in 1935.
Recorded Texas Historic Landmark, 1987. |
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Hartley
County courthouse historical marker
Photo courtesy Barclay
Gibson, July 2009 |
Hartley
County Courthouse Fenced Entrance
Photo courtesy Terry
Jeanson, March 2008 |
Hartley County
Courthouse vintage photo
Postcard courtesy www.rootsweb.com/ %7Etxpstcrd/ |
Hartley County
Courthouse as it appeared in 1939
Photo courtesy TXDoT |
Hartley
County Courthouse today
Photo courtesy Barclay
Gibson, July 2009 |
"Paired
Ionic columns and a "triumphal" arch decorate the front entrance."
Terry Jeanson, March 2008 photo |
"A
simple placard over the front entrance, one of the many sandstone
details offsetting the building's red brick facing."
- Terry
Jeanson, 2008 photo |
Courthouse
front entrance details
Photo courtesy Terry
Jeanson, March 2008 |
"The
second floor district courtroom maintains much of the original details
and furnishings, including the ornate metal pressed ceiling."
- Terry
Jeanson, March 2008 photo |
1936 Centennial
Highway Marker - Hartley
- U.S. 87
Hartley County
Formed from Young
and Bexar territories: Created, August 21, 1876. Organized, February
5, 1891. Named in honor of two brothers, Oliver Cromwell and Rufus
K. Hartley. Distinguished members of the Texas Bar. Hartley, the county
seat.
(1936) |
Hartley
County Jail
"The current Hartley County jail was built in
1906, at the same time as the current courthouse and with the same
materials. It is still in use today.
The privately owned 1892
brick and sandstone jail in the first county seat of Hartley
also still stands." - Terry
Jeanson, March, 2008 |
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