Dallam County Courthouse

Duane's take

Here's my telling of what the official marker has to say about the Dallam County Courthouse. Now, before there was a courthouse worth talking about, there had to be a county. Dallam County was created in 1876, but it sat there on paper for fifteen years before anybody got around to organizing it in 1891.

And the county's name? It honors James W. Dallam, Attorney of the Republic of Texas, a man who lived from 1818 to 1847.

That's a short life for a lasting legacy. When the county finally organized in 1891, there was exactly one town in it. One.

That was Texline, sitting right on the line of the Fort Worth and Denver City Railroad. Texline became the first county seat, and a courthouse went up that same year. Seemed like the story was settled.

It was not settled. Ten years later, the Rock Island Railroad decided to build a line right through the county. And where the Rock Island and the Fort Worth and Denver City lines crossed, a brand new town rose up.

They called it Dalhart. Now, you put two railroads together in the middle of the Texas Panhandle and see what happens. Dalhart grew, and it grew fast, and by 1903 the county commissioners court voted to move the county seat right on over to Dalhart.

That May, voters approved the bonds for a new courthouse. But here is the thing about growing towns. They keep growing.

County government outgrew that 1903 building, and in 1922 voters went back to the polls and approved bonds for yet another courthouse. The Amarillo architectural firm of Smith and Townes got the commission, and what they designed was a Classical Revival structure, completed in 1923. And this building is something to see.

Brick construction with cast stone detailing. It rises from a rusticated ground floor up to more finely detailed upper stories. Ionic columns.

Curvilinear parapets. A denticulated cornice. The kind of courthouse that says: we are here, we are staying, and we take our county business seriously.

From a single railroad town with one courthouse to a crossroads city with one that truly stands, Dallam County built itself up twice over. And that 1923 courthouse still serves the citizens of Dalhart and Dallam County today. Some things, when you get them right, you don't have to move again.

What the marker says

Created in 1876 and organized in 1891, Dallam County was named for Republic of Texas Attorney James W. Dallam (1818-1847). Texline, located on the line of the Fort Worth and Denver City Railroad and the only town in the county when it was organized, served as first county seat. A courthouse was built in 1891. Ten years later, when the Rock Island Railroad built a line through the county, the new town of Dalhart was established where the Rock Island and Fort Worth and Denver City rail lines crossed. The county commissioners court voted to move the county seat to Dalhart in 1903, and in May that year an election was held to approve bonds for a courthouse. County government soon outgrew the 1903 building, and in 1922 the voters approved more bonds for a new courthouse. Designed by the Amarillo architectural firm of Smith & Townes, this Classical Revival structure was completed in 1923. Built of brick with cast stone detailing, the building rises from a rusticated ground floor to more finely detailed upper stories, and features Ionic columns, curvilinear parapets, and denticulated cornice. A fine example of its style, the courthouse continues to serve the citizens of Dalhart and Dallam County. Recorded Texas Historic Landmark - 1991