Dateline: July 18, 2002

Progress continues on courthouse work

By Roger Estlack, Clarendon Enterprise

Although little activity can be seen on the outside, the restoration of the 1890 Donley County Courthouse is making great gains on the interior of the building.

The courthouse is running on its new electrical supply, and the air conditioning should be operational by August 1, according to Phoenix 1 project manager Stephen Dodge, who spoke to Volz & Associates architects and officials with the Texas Historical Commission (THC) during a construction conference last Tuesday.

Dodge said his company wants to see the final selections made for paint colors made this week and noted that the THC has been slow to approve new light fixtures for the building. Fixtures and finishes must be similar to styles popular in 1913 – the date the county chose to restore back to.

Openings for lighting and ventilation in the ceiling of the district courtroom are ready for THC approval. The first and second floor plastering is finished, and trim work is proceeding.

The roof cannot be completed until the brick and stonework is finished since restored chimneys have to be built and part of the roof ties into the stonework.

The crumbling brick found behind the cornices on the west and south is currently being addressed, and Phoenix President Dale Sellers reported on his efforts to find qualified masons to make those repairs at a reasonable cost.

Phoenix officials said they believed enough materials could be salvaged from behind the cornice and other areas to use original brick on the main façade of the building. New brick would be used on the other sides of the courthouse.

In other courthouse news, the fundraising effort continues. To date, a total of $140,024 has been given to the project. If you would like to help with the restoration, you may send your donation to the Donley County Courthouse Preservation Fund, PO Box 825, Clarendon, TX 79226.