Randall County Courthouse

Duane's take

The way the marker tells it, here's the story of the Randall County Courthouse. Randall County was created in 1876, but it took until 1889 before folks got around to organizing it. That's a thirteen-year gap of wide-open country, and when they finally did get organized, their first courthouse was about as grand as you might expect out on the Texas Panhandle plains: a frame house.

Just a plain frame house. But don't let that fool you into thinking nothing interesting happened there. That humble little building pulled double duty as the site of the first school in the county.

And on its tin roof, cowboys held dances. Think about that for a moment. Somewhere up on top of a frame house that also served as a courthouse and a schoolhouse, cowboys were dancing on a tin roof.

That is either the most Texas thing you've ever heard, or it's running a real close race. Then 1909 came around, and Randall County decided it was time to do things properly. This building, the one standing today, was erected that year, right on the eve of the opening of West Texas State University.

One institution rising just as another was about to be born. Two landmarks sharing the same horizon, the same moment in time. The old tin-roof dances gave way to something a little more permanent, a little more dignified, but honestly, probably not quite as fun.

What the marker says

Second for county created 1876, organized 1889. First, a frame house, was site first school in county. On its tin roof cowboys held dances. This building was erected in 1909, on eve of opening of West Texas State University. Recorded Texas Historical Landmark - 1965