Hopkins County Courthouse

Introduction

Text-to-speech Audio

Constructed in 1895, the Hopkins County Courthouse is a striking example of Richardsonian Romanesque architecture and still serves as the seat of county government. The building was erected with red granite and sandstone trim and exhibits a robust appearance. Notable features include polychromatic and checkerboard masonry; a central tower with ornamental turrets, dormers, and topped by a hipped roof; small balconies; arched windows; and quarter-circular bays at the southwest and northeast corners. The building is the county's fourth courthouse and remains an important political and architectural landmark for the city and county.

Images

Hopkins County Courthouse was built in 1895 and has served as the seat of county government ever since.

The building also features decorative details such as this one.

The courtroom

This spiral staircase leads up to the tower.

Backstory and Context

Text-to-speech Audio

Hopkins County was established on May 25, 1846, just a few months after Texas became part of the United States. The county seat was located initially in the town of Tarrant but was later moved to Sulphur Springs in 1871. A fire destroyed the third courthouse in 1894, which prompted the construction of the current one the following year. San Antonio-based architect James Riely Gordon designed it. Some county residents called for a clock tower but the county commissioners declined to spend the money for it. The courthouse was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1977. It is also a State Antiquities Landmark and Recorded Texas Historic Landmark.

Sources

"Hopkins County Courthouse." The Historical Marker Database. Accessed October 20, 2020. https://www.hmdb.org/m.asp?m=119782.

Sasser, S. Elizabeth. "Hopkins County Courthouse." National Park Service - National Register of Historic Places Nomination Form. April 11, 1977. https://catalog.archives.gov/OpaAPI/media/40972609/content/electronic-records/rg-079/NPS_TX/77001453.pdf.

Image Sources(Click to expand)

All images via Wikimedia Commons: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Hopkins_County_Courthouse_(Texas)