Waller County Courthouse Clock & Bell Tower

This tower is the permanent home of the old Waller County Courthouse clock and bell. Cast in 1894 by the McShane Bell Foundry of Baltimore, the bell was an important functional adornment to the courthouse. The clock, with its 8-foot pendulum, was constructed by the Seth Thomas Clock Company of Chicago. Although the original courthouse was demolished in 1954, most of the clock and bell were preserved. Beginning in 1991, the Waller County Historical Society spearheaded the restoration of the clock and bell, raising funds through a campaign called "One Moment in Time." In 1998, construction commenced on a new tower, but the project was stalled for many years. It was finally completed in 2012.

The County of Waller, Texas, has had four courthouses. The first was a simple frame building known as the "Texas House," which was rented by the County for $25 a month. In the nearby square, a log cabin contained the one-room jail. In 1877, a brick courthouse was built, along with a jail. After this courthouse burned down in 1892, another brick courthouse was erected in 1894. It lasted until it was eventually demolished in 1954-55, when a new three-story courthouse was designed by the architect Herbert Voelker and constructed from limestone and brick.

"088 Waller County," 254 Texas Courthouses. Accessed May 15th, 2023. http://www.254texascourthouses.net/088-waller-county.html.

Hulse, James. "The Old Courthouse Clock and Bell", Hmdb. November 5th, 2020. Accessed May 15th, 2023. https://www.hmdb.org/m.asp?m=159397.

"The Old Waller County Courthouse Clock and Bell - Hempstead, TX", Waymarking. Accessed May 15th, 2023. https://www.waymarking.com/waymarks/WMEXYC_The_Old_Waller_County_Courthouse_Clock_and_Bell_Hempstead_TX.

"Waller County Courthouse," Texas Escapes. Accessed May 15th, 2023. http://www.texasescapes.com/CentralTexasTownsSouth/Hempstead-TX-Waller-County-Courthouse.htm.