Dimmit County Courthouse

National Registry

The Dimmit County Courthouse is a two-story masonry structure with an exterior facing of quarry-faced stone. The courthouse, essentially square in form, features an entrance portico with Roman Ionic columns set antis. The present structure represents the total remodeling of the courthouse of 1883-84, which was encased within the present structure in 1925-26.

Located near the center of Carrizo Springs, the seat of Dimmit County, the Dimmit County Courthouse is an essentially foursquare building two stories in height, with exterior walls of quarry-faced limestone. The courthouse is oriented with its main entrance at the west elevation, with subsidiary access provided on the north, south, and east elevations. The west elevation is arranged in three parts, the central element being the most dominant. The main entry door is recessed within the mass of the structure, sheltered by a columnar porch framed by a pair of Roman Ionic columns. These columns are set in antis to the exterior walls, which are embellished with matching pilasters. The columns and pilasters, as well as the structure's entablature, are of smooth-finished stone which provides a strong contrast with the rough surface of the exterior walls. Curiously, the main doorway is set off asymmetrically to one side of the porch, and there are two window openings with wooden double-hung sashes set to the left of the door. This unbalanced pattern of fenestration is repeated above, with a large metal-frame window set above the door, and wooden frame, double-hung sashes aligned above the first-floor windows. To each side of the entrance porch are two large, metal-frame windows on the first floor, and paired wooden-sash windows on the second. The transoms of the second-floor windows feature muntins which form a motif based on a St. George's Cross; there are no transoms on the first floor windows.

The east, south, and north elevations are all five bays wide, with the central bay containing a secondary entrance. The fenestration of the second floor is consistent with that described on the west, or main, elevation while the fenestration on the first floor makes use of both metal- framed and wooden-frame windows. The entablature of the courthouse features frieze panels with St. George's crosses carved as blind panels set above the windows of the second floor. The cornice consists of a dentil course, while the parapet element is finished with quarry-faced stone. The entablature above the main entry porch steps out slightly from the mass of the building, and bears the inscription "Dimmit County Courthouse" in relief lettering in the center element of the parapet, which is here finished with smooth stone.

The interior of the courthouse is divided into office space on the first floor. A main hallway runs from north to south, while a western hall leads from the main entrance. The second floor, which contains the court room and additional offices, is reached by a single stair rising from the north-south hallway.

The structure appears to have undergone some minor alterations since its construction in 1925-26. Chief among these is the metal-framed main entrance door on the west elevation, which appears to be a replacement for the original element. The secondary entrance doors are also of recent date, although it is apparent that none of the openings in the stone walls were changed in size to accommodate the new doors.

In conversations with the county clerk's office and the chairman of the county historical commission, it was confirmed that no significant changes have been made to the structure since the enclosed photographs were taken.

The Dimmit County Courthouse is one of the most significant structures in this west Texas county. In addition to its association with local political history, the structure is also one of the most impressive architectural landmarks of the county. The associated political events date back to 1884 and the completion of the courthouse now encased by the 1920s expansion. Architecturally, the building is the best specimen of classically inspired public building in the county, and was designed by a well-known Texas courthouse architect.

Dimmit County, located near the Rio Grande River in southwest Texas, was established by the Texas legislature in 1858, although it remained unorganized as a part of Maverick County until 1880. Carrizo Springs was chosen as the county seat, and in 1883 a county courthouse was erected according to the designs of J.C. Breeding & Sons, architects from San Antonio. The structure served as the legal center of the county government and, by virtue of the subsequent commercial development around the courthouse square, aided in the economic development of this largely ranching and farming oriented county.

In 1925, County Judge William H. Davis, in conjunction with County Commissioners J.H. Broadbent, J.M. Stone, W.A. Shumate, and J.A. McDonald, determined that the 1883-84 structure required significant expansion in order to continue to serve the needs of county government. Architect Henry T. Phelps was hired essentially to redesign the existing structure. The building was expanded on all four sides, and its architectural character changed from the simplified Italianate of the 1880s to a restrained classicism of the 1920s.

Phelps was active in Texas courthouse designs during the early 20th century, and his works include the Blanco County Courthouse of 1916, in Johnson City, and the expansion of the Bexar County Courthouse in 1928. The Blanco County Courthouse also features the same contrasting rough- and-smooth stone work found on the Dimmit County edifice.

The expansion of the courthouse has enabled it to continue to serve the legal and judicial needs of Dimmit County. While the loss of the original courthouse structure to remodeling and expansion is perhaps regrettable, the building campaign of 1925-26 generated an edifice which provides a dignified setting for the conduct of county business, and insured the continuation of governmental functions on the same site where they began in 1884.

BIBLIOGRAPHY ON FILE IN THE NATIONAL REGISTER

Named for one of the framers of the Texas Declaration of Independence, Dimmit County was created from four other counties in 1858. The county was formally organized in 1880, and Carrizo Springs was chosen as the county seat. On November 12, 1883, the county commissioners court chose noted architect Alfred Giles to design a permanent courthouse for Dimmit County. Later that month, on November 26, the court reversed its decision and selected J. C. Breeding & Sons of San Antonio to act as both architects and builders. Probably working from Giles' initial plans, they erected a structure which featured a double gallery porch. The building's cubical form and Italianate detailing resemble Giles' designs for other Texas courthouses erected about the same time. By the 1920s, the thriving Dimmit County needed a larger government facility. The commissioners court called in Henry T. Phelps to design an expansion. At Phelps' instruction, the San Antonio Construction Company demolished the north second story wall, removing exterior rock from the lower north and south walls and adding new, longer wings on each end. As was his custom, Phelps worked along a Classical Revival plan, requiring a symmetrical façade. He relocated the main entrance to the west side of the building, highlighting it with four massive columns and a recessed porch. The 19th century windows were widened, and Phelps changed the Second Empire roofline to an elaborate cornice. The architectural character of the Dimmit County Courthouse was transformed from a simplified Italianate style of the late 1880s to the restrained Classicism popular in the 1920s. Recorded Texas Historic Landmark-2000

Courthouse before 1927 remodel

Clickable

Map

Clickable

Map