THC to document courthouse

By Roger Estlack, Clarendon Enterprise

The Texas Historical Commission (THC) will be in Clarendon August 18 through 20 to document the Donley County Courthouse for the agency’s Texas Courthouse Alliance Project, a program to document 55 of the oldest and most historic county courthouses in Texas.

While in Donley County, the commission team will assess the building’s condition, locate historic drawings and records, and generate new documentation using photographic and computer assisted measuring techniques.  This information will then be compiled into a computerized database which will be accessible via the Internet, and used to promote public awareness and preservation of these treasured Texas landmarks. County Judge Jack Hall’s enthusiastic support of the Alliance project influenced the early selection of the Donley County Courthouse for documentation.

Courthouses were chosen to participate in the project based on architectural significance, age, degree of threat to the building, participation by the local government, and existing records about the courthouse.  The Texas Courthouse Alliance Project is funded by a grant from the Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act of the Texas Department of Transportation.

“These historic courthouses have provided their communities with a sense of pride and unity throughout the years,” said Curtis Tunnell, executive director of the THC.  “Documentation is an important first step in ensuring their preservation for future generations.”

The Alliance team also works with representatives from Texas A&M University and the University of Texas at San Antonio on a related documentation project.  Funded by a grant from the National Center for Preservation Technology and Training, this joint effort will develop a manual outlining the Texas Courthouse Alliance’s documentation process for other states and preservation groups to use in documenting historic buildings and courthouses.

The THC is the state agency for historic preservation.  The agency administers a variety of programs to preserve the archeological, historical, and cultural resources of Texas.