Harmon County Courthouse
Introduction
Text-to-speech Audio
Harmon County Courthouse is a historic government building located in Hollis, Oklahoma. It was built in 1926, having been designed in the Plains Commercial style by the architectural firm of Layton, Hicks, & Forsyth. This firm was headed by noted architect Solomon Andrew Layton (1864-1943). The Courthouse continues to serve as the center of government of Harmon County.
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By Crimsonedge34 - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=37660932
Backstory and Context
Text-to-speech Audio
Harmon County was established in 1909 as the 67th county of the state of Oklahoma, with its seat in Hollis. It was named for Judson Harmon, who served as attorney general under President Grover Cleveland. At the time of its founding, Harmon County was primarily an agricultural region; the main crops were cotton, wheat, and sorghum.
Until 1926, county officials conducted their business in rented spaces. In that year, the courthouse was completed according to a plan by the architectural firm of Layton, Hicks, & Forsyth, which was led by architect Solomon Andrew Layton. This firm, also known as Layton & Forsyth or Layton, Smith & Forsyth, designed many other notable buildings throughout Oklahoma including the Journal Record Building (1923) in Oklahoma City and Bizzell Library (1928) on the campus of the University of Oklahoma. The firm designed several other courthouses, including the Beckham County Courthouse (1911) and the Oklahoma County Courthouse (1937).
The courthouse is designed in the Plains Commercial Style, a variant on the Chicago School of architecture which was common throughout the Midwest during the early decades of the twentieth century. Notable features include the stone cornice, decorative stone insets between the second- and third-floor windows, and the stone-framed doorway.
Until 1926, county officials conducted their business in rented spaces. In that year, the courthouse was completed according to a plan by the architectural firm of Layton, Hicks, & Forsyth, which was led by architect Solomon Andrew Layton. This firm, also known as Layton & Forsyth or Layton, Smith & Forsyth, designed many other notable buildings throughout Oklahoma including the Journal Record Building (1923) in Oklahoma City and Bizzell Library (1928) on the campus of the University of Oklahoma. The firm designed several other courthouses, including the Beckham County Courthouse (1911) and the Oklahoma County Courthouse (1937).
The courthouse is designed in the Plains Commercial Style, a variant on the Chicago School of architecture which was common throughout the Midwest during the early decades of the twentieth century. Notable features include the stone cornice, decorative stone insets between the second- and third-floor windows, and the stone-framed doorway.
Sources
"Harmon County Courthouse." National Register of Historic Places Nomination Form. National Park Service. U.S. Dept. of the Interior. https://npgallery.nps.gov/AssetDetail/NRIS/84003031. Accessed May 5, 2019.
Nelson, Mary Jo. "Layton, Solomon Andrew." Encyclopedia of Oklahoma History and Culture. https://www.okhistory.org/publications/enc/entry.php?entry=LA036. Accessed May 5, 2019.
Wilson, Linda D. "Harmon County." Encyclopedia of Oklahoma History and Culture. https://www.okhistory.org/publications/enc/entry.php?entry=HA026. Accessed May 5, 2019.
Nelson, Mary Jo. "Layton, Solomon Andrew." Encyclopedia of Oklahoma History and Culture. https://www.okhistory.org/publications/enc/entry.php?entry=LA036. Accessed May 5, 2019.
Wilson, Linda D. "Harmon County." Encyclopedia of Oklahoma History and Culture. https://www.okhistory.org/publications/enc/entry.php?entry=HA026. Accessed May 5, 2019.