Gonzales Courthouse

Duane's take

Here's my telling of what the official marker has to say about the Gonzales Courthouse. Now, Gonzales County got itself organized back in 1837, which means by the time we start this story, folks had already been doin' the serious business of law and order in this county for a good long while. Courts were held, decisions were handed down, leaders gathered.

And then, in 1893, the first courthouse burned. Just like that. Gone.

The kind of thing that stops a county cold, or ought to. But Gonzales County is not the kind of place that stays stopped for long. By 1894, they were already building.

And what they built, they built right. Construction ran from 1894 all the way to 1896, and when the dust settled and the last stone was laid, the bill came to sixty-four thousand, four hundred and fifty dollars. In the 1890s, that is a serious commitment.

That is a county saying: we mean it. And this second courthouse meant it in every way that mattered. It became headquarters for many Texas leaders, a place where important court decisions were made, the kind of decisions that echo.

So the next time you find yourself in Gonzales, take a good look at that building. It rose from the ashes of 1893, and it has been holding court ever since.

What the marker says

In county organized 1837, first courthouse burned 1893. This second one was built 1894-1896 at cost of $64,450. Headquarters for many Texas leaders; scene of important court decisions. Recorded Texas Historic Landmark - 1966