Bee County Courthouse

Duane's take

The way the marker at the Bee County Courthouse tells it, here's the story as I understand it. Bee County came into the world in 1857, carved out of parts of five neighboring counties. Now, the first county seat wasn't here, not by a long stretch.

It sat seven miles east of this very site, and the first commissioners court convened on the banks of Medio Creek in February of 1858. The earliest courthouse they had was a box frame structure. Not exactly what you'd call imposing.

But Bee County was patient, and patience has a way of paying off. By the time the county got around to building its fourth courthouse, in 1912, they had a man for the job. His name was W.

C. Stephenson, a local architect, and he was no ordinary fellow. Born up in Buffalo, New York, Stephenson had, at some point in his career, aided in the design of the death mask of President William McKinley.

Let that settle on you for a moment. The man who designed a Texas county courthouse had also helped shape the final memorial likeness of an assassinated president. He also had his hands in several Beeville buildings, the Rialto Theater, two churches, several houses, and he later designed the Classical Revival McMullen County courthouse.

So yes, he knew what he was doing. To build the thing, they brought in W. C.

Whitney, a contractor with three other Texas courthouses already to his name. The contract came in at seventy-two thousand and fifty dollars. And here is where the story takes a turn.

Whitney died during construction. The project fell to Stephenson's partner, Fritz Heldenfels, who saw it through to completion. Two men started it.

One man finished it. The building stands. Stephenson drew deep from the French Beaux Arts School, delivering a level of grandeur that had simply never existed in Bee County before that moment.

Some of those original Beaux Arts features, including the cast stone balustrade that once outlined the roof, were later removed. A 1943 addition partially obscured the building's symmetrical plan and facade. But what remains is still something to behold.

The Classical Revival style comes through strong in the grand portico, the projecting pediment entry, the Corinthian columns, the dentils along the roofline. The Chicago-style windows, one glass pane flanked by two narrower ones with transoms above, are worth a second look. And then there is Stephenson's lady of justice, perched over it all.

Unlike most of her kind, she is not depicted as blind. In Bee County, justice keeps her eyes open. Always has.

What the marker says

Bee County was created in 1857 from parts of five neighboring counties. The first county seat was located seven miles east of this site, and the first commissioners court was held on the banks of Medio Creek in February 1858. The city's earliest courthouse consisted of a box frame structure. In 1912, local architect W. C. Stephenson designed this, the county's fourth courthouse. A native of Buffalo, New York, Stephenson aided in the design of the death mask of President William McKinley. He was the architect of several Beeville buildings, including the Rialto Theater, two churches and several houses, and later designed the Classical Revival McMullen County courthouse. W. C. Whitney, builder of three other Texas courthouses, contracted to build the Bee County courthouse for $72,050. Whitney died during construction and W. C. Stephenson's partner, Fritz Heldenfels, completed the project. Stephenson drew upon the strong contemporary influence of the French Beaux Arts School with a level of grandeur previously nonexistent in Bee County. Some original Beaux Arts features such as the cast stone balustrade originally outlining the roof were later removed, and the 1943 addition partially obscured the symmetrical plan and façade of the edifice. The Bee County courthouse is a fine example of the Classical Revival style. Of particular significance are the grand portico and projecting pediment entry with Corinthian columns and dentils along the roofline. The Chicago-style windows, comprised of one glass pane flanked by two narrower ones, with transoms above, are noteworthy. Also unusual is Stephenson's lady of justice; unlike most such symbols, she is not depicted as blind. Recorded Texas Historic Landmark - 2000