Site of First Zavala County Courthouse

Duane's take

Now here's my telling of what the official marker has to say about this particular patch of Texas ground. Zavala County was created in 1858, carved out of Maverick and Uvalde counties. And it was named for Lorenzo de Zavala, a veteran of the Battle of San Jacinto.

That's a name that carries some weight. But here's the thing about Zavala County: created in 1858, yes, but the county just sort of sat there, unorganized for judicial purposes, for the better part of three decades. It wasn't until 1884 that citizens finally elected county officials and chose a county seat.

The place they picked was Batesville. And Batesville had a story of its own before it had that name. It was known, in earlier days, as the Bates Ditch community, or Bates City, depending on who you asked.

The people behind it were Elijah A. and Ellen J. Bates, credited with founding the place. They came to the area in the late 1860s and built themselves into a prominent ranching family.

Elijah Bates is also credited with the first irrigation project in the area, and he started selling two-acre plots of that irrigated farmland. A settlement grew up near his home, slow and steady, the way settlements do. When Batesville was selected as the county seat, Bates conveyed a portion of his land for use as a courthouse square.

A generous move, or a practical one. Maybe both. Then in 1885, the first county courthouse and jail went up right here at this site.

Built of burnt bricks, made from Leona River soil, two stories tall: offices downstairs, courtroom upstairs. That building stood as the seat of Zavala County justice for decades. Until 1928, when the seat of government was moved to Crystal City.

The old courthouse got repurposed after that, used for a variety of things over the years, until it was torn down in 1947. Bricks made from river soil, raised by a ranching family's donated land, gone before midcentury. But the county, and the story, they're still here.

What the marker says

Zavala County was created in 1858 from Maverick and Uvalde counties. Named for Lorenzo de Zavala, a veteran of the Battle of San Jacinto, the county was not organized for judicial purposes until 1884. In that year citizens elected county officials and selected Batesville as the county seat. Batesville originally was known as the Bates Ditch community or Bates City. Elijah A. and Ellen J. Bates are credited with its founding. They came to the area in the late 1860s and became a prominent ranching family. Bates, who is credited with the first irrigation project in the area, began selling two-acre plots of the irrigated farmland, and a settlement grew up near his home. After the selection of Batesville as the Zavala County Seat, Bates conveyed a portion of his land for use as a courthouse square. The first county courthouse and jail were constructed at this site in 1885. Built of burnt bricks made from Leona River soil, the two story courthouse featured offices downstairs and a courtroom upstairs. The structure was used as the county courthouse until 1928, when the seat of government was moved to Crystal City. The old courthouse then was used for a variety of purposes until it was torn down in 1947. (1984)