Hill County Courthouse (Texas No. 25)

When I went on my last courthouse hunting trip, I had not read the history of the Hill County Courthouse in Hillsboro, Texas.  In fact, I didn't know anything about this courthouse - other than the fact that it was beautiful - until tonight when I went on line to find some facts to include in this post.

On the night of January 1, 1993, the 1890 Hill County Courthouse was virtually destroyed by fire.  Not even firefighters from more than 15 companies could save it.  The grand clock tower, the roof, and the third floor collapsed as onlookers cried.  The impressive district courtroom was gone and records dating back more than a century were either lost or badly damaged.  All that remained of the stately building were the four limestone walls and the interior metal staircases.

Restoration architects had little to refer to in an attempting to re-create the courthouse's past grandeur.  Since there were no blueprints, they looked at the original architect's nearby courthouse designs in Granbury and Weatherford and interviewed those who worked in the courthouse to get their impressions and memories.

Seven years and many millions of dollars later, this beautiful building was completely rebuilt  to its original splendor.  Help from community members, including Hill County native Willie Nelson, and funding from the Texas Courthouse Alliance made this possible.

When originally constructed in 1890, the architectural style was pretty much a Texas hodgepodge of Second Empire, Classical Revival and Italianate features.  A writer for the Saturday Evening Post called it a monstrosity, while another at Harper's said it was an outstanding cathedral.

The massive three-story limestone structure has two-story Corinthian columns, mansard roofs, and a tower in the middle that is seven stories tall.  Of the clock tower, the locals say that even if you are miles away, you can still tell when it's time to feed the dog!