Hartley County Courthouse

Duane's take

Here's how the official marker tells it, and I'll do my best to do it justice. Now, Hartley County came into being in January 1891, and folks wasted no time. An election held that very year put the town of Hartley on the map as county seat.

They built a frame courthouse right there on the town square, and for a few years, that was that. But here's where things get interesting. Come October 1896, a second election was held, and this time, largely due to XIT Ranch interests, the county seat packed its bags.

The vote resulted in the removal of the seat of government to Channing. And that frame courthouse? They didn't leave it behind.

They dismantled it, moved it to the new county seat, and reconstructed it piece by piece. That courthouse traveled. Then, in May 1905, the commissioners court looked around and decided it was time for something more permanent.

Contracts were awarded to Solan and Wickens as contractors, and a man by the name of O. G. Roquemore came on as architect.

What they built was a two-story Beaux Arts structure with a triumphal arch on the front facade, a native sandstone base, and Roman Ionic paired columns. Not exactly what you'd expect riding through the Texas Panhandle, but there it stands. The building was completed in October 1906, all of it coming in at a cost of ten thousand, five hundred and twenty-five dollars.

When the doors opened, the top story held a courtroom and two offices. The first floor offered five offices and a lobby. The building even ran its own water well and its own lighting system, self-sufficient from day one.

Over the years, the county kept adding to it. A vault was added to the county clerk's office in 1927. Then in 1935, a second vault and jury dormitories were built.

A courthouse that was once loaded onto a wagon and hauled across the prairie eventually gave way to something built to last, columns and all.

What the marker says

Hartley County was created in January 1891, and an election held that year designated the town of Hartley as county seat. A frame courthouse was built on the town square. In October 1896, largely due to XIT Ranch interests, a second election was held which resulted in the removal of the county seat to Channing. The frame courthouse was dismantled and moved to the new county seat, where it was reconstructed. In May 1905 the commissioners court approved the construction of a new courthouse. Contracts were awarded to Solan & Wickens, contractors, and O. G. Roquemore, architect. The 2-story, structure was completed in October 1906 at a cost of $10,525. The Beaux Arts style building features a triumphal arch on the front facade, native sandstone base, and Roman Ionic paired columns. When completed, the top story provided a courtroom and two offices, and there were five offices and a lobby on the first floor. At the time of construction, the building was served by its own water well and lighting system. A vault was added to the county clerk's office in 1927. A second vault and jury dormitories were built in 1935. Recorded Texas Historic Landmark - 1987