Overview | What's Wrong? | Project News | Texas Historical Commission
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Donley
COURTHOUSE RESTORATION PROJECT |
CountyFor
more than 110 years the Donley County Courthouse has been a landmark in
downtown Clarendon. Today, the 1890 building is the oldest courthouse in
the Texas Panhandle, and it is still home to many of the county’s
offices.
Time
has not been kind to the courthouse however. In addition to weathering the
usual elements, the courthouse suffered the indignity of having its third
story tower and dormers lopped off in the 1930s. The reason for this
modification has been lost to history. Bats have also taken refuge in the
courthouse’s attic for decades due to flaws in the roof.
But
hope springs eternal. In May of 2000, Donley County applied for and
received a grant from the Texas Historic Courthouse Preservation Program
that will allow the building to be refurbished and restored. The $2.9
million project is already underway with architects drawing up plans to
return the courthouse to its 19th century splendor.
This
site will record the history and progress of the project, which will take
approximately two years to complete.
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The Romanesque Revival courthouse, completed in 1891, is the design of the architectural firm of Bulger and Rapp. It is now the oldest functioning courthouse in the Texas Panhandle. The structure is asymmetrical (no two sides of the building are alike), which is an unusual feature for this type of building in Texas during that time. Source: THC |
