Fannin County Courthouse (Texas)
| Fannin County Courthouse | |
|---|---|
 | |
| General information | |
| Architectural style | 1889 Second Empire; 1965 Modern Movement, Art Deco |
| Town or city | Bonham, Texas |
| Country | United States |
| Coordinates | 33°34′39″N 96°10′43″W / 33.5776°N 96.1787°W |
| Construction started | 1888 |
| Completed | 1889, lost tower 1929 fire; massive renovation 1969, restoration complete 2022 |
| Design and construction | |
| Architect(s) | 1888 Wesley Clark Dodson (1829-1914) of Dodson & Dudley of Waco, TX; 1965, unknown |
The Fannin County Courthouse is a historic courthouse building located in Bonham, Fannin County, Texas. Built in 1888-1889 of rough-cut local limestone from Gober by Scottish-born stonemasons Kane and Cormack, it was designed in the Second Empire style of architecture by Waco-based architect Wesley Clark Dodson (1829–1914) of the firm Dodson and Dudley. As built it was similar in appearance to the Hood County Courthouse Dodson designed shortly after it.[1] Its central clock tower and elaborate mansard roof were destroyed by fire on New Year's Eve, December 31, 1929, and were replaced by a flat roof.[2] In 1965 the courthouse was modernized, the remaining roof pediments were removed and the exterior was covered with a smooth surface of what is called Lueders stone or Lueders limestone, so that it appeared to be a Moderne or rather plain Art Deco building.[3] [4] [5]
In 2008 the county received a state historical renovation grant and discussion ensued about whether to restore the building to its earlier grandeur.[6]
On November 8, 2016, a courthouse restoration bond proposal was passed by Fannin County voters. This $12.5 million bond, in conjunction with a matching $5 million grant from the Texas Historical Commission, will restore the courthouse to its original 1888 design.
See also
[edit]
References
[edit]- ^ Fannin County GenWeb: Picture of pre-1929 courthouse with tower
- ^ Pictures during and right after 1929 fire and later
- ^ Texts of all Fannin County historical markers including the one for the courthouse which misspells Lueders
- ^ Texas Escapes page on Fannin County Courthouse
- ^ Familytree 101 Fannin County
- ^ "KXIL TV story". Archived from the original on 2011-07-13. Retrieved 2011-02-28.
External links
[edit]
Media related to Fannin County Courthouse at Wikimedia Commons
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- Government buildings completed in 1889
- Buildings and structures in Fannin County, Texas
- County courthouses in Texas
- Art Deco courthouses
- Wesley Clark Dodson buildings
- Second Empire architecture in Texas
- Art Deco architecture in Texas
- Clock towers in Texas
- 1889 establishments in Texas
- Texas building and structure stubs