Medina County Courthouse

Duane's take

The way I tell it, I'm drawing straight from the official marker on the Medina County Courthouse, so here's how it goes. Now, Medina County got itself organized in 1848, with Castroville sitting as the county seat. That arrangement held for a good while.

Then came 1892, and an election changed everything. The seat of county administration was relocated, picked up and moved to a place called Hondo City, which folks today just call Hondo. The commissioners court didn't waste any time.

They immediately ordered a courthouse to be built at the new county seat. During the administration of County Judge B. Brucks, a building contract was let to the construction firm of Martin, Byrne and Johnson.

Now, a courthouse needs the right stone, and these folks knew where to find it. Limestone with a slightly yellowish cast was secured about six miles north of town, from the ranch of a man named Joe Decker. By 1893, the building was complete.

The new courthouse provided office space for the county judge, the tax assessor, the treasurer, the attorney, the county and district clerk, and up on the second floor, it featured a large district courtroom. That's a lot of county business under one roof. Then, between 1939 and 1942, the courthouse got some company.

Two two-story wings were added to the 1893 structure. And here's the thing that'll make you smile a little. When they needed stone for those new wings, they went right back to the same place.

Limestone from the Decker Ranch, again. What stands there today is a Classical Revival courthouse with some touches of the Italianate style woven in. Rusticated stone walls.

A classical portico over the entryway. A broken triangular pediment. Stone hood molds with incised Eastlake designs.

It is, by any measure, a building that was built to be looked at. From Castroville to Hondo City, from 1848 to 1893 and on through those 1939 additions, the Medina County Courthouse carries the whole long story of that county's life right there in its limestone walls. Same ranch, same stone, different century.

Some things in Texas just run deep.

What the marker says

Medina County was organized in 1848 with Castroville as the county seat. In 1892, as the result of an election, the seat of county administration was relocated to Hondo City (now Hondo). The commissioners court immediately ordered a courthouse to be built at the new county seat. During the administration of County Judge B. Brucks, a building contract was let to the construction firm of Martin, Byrne & Johnson. Limestone with a slightly yellowish cast was secured about six miles north of town from the ranch of Joe Decker. Completed in 1893, the new courthouse provided office space for the county judge, tax assessor, treasurer, attorney, county and district clerk, and featured a large district courtroom on the second floor. Between 1939 and 1942, changes to the 1893 courthouse were made, including the addition of two two-story wings. Stone for the new wings was secured again from limestone deposits on the Decker Ranch. The Classical Revival courthouse exhibits some influences of the Italianate style. Prominent features include the rusticated stone walls, classical portico over the entryway, a broken triangular pediment, and stone hood molds with incised Eastlake designs. Recorded Texas Historic Landmark - 1984