8/20 Comanche, Stephenville, Hamilton, Gatesville

Goldthwaite finished!  It was surrounded by fence when we saw it in April.

Comanche courthouse, 1941. 

Architect: Wyatt C. Hedrick

Old Cora courthouse.  The oldest remaining courthouse in Texas, although not in use anymore.  Built in 1856.

Stephenville courthouse, 1892.  

Architect: James Riely Gordon

Gordon also did 2 other buildings in town, so Stephenville is worth visiting if only for that! It is a nice town though.  

J. Riely Gordon's bank in Stephenville.

J. Riely Gordon's Crows Opera House in Stephenville.

Old Hamilton jail, built in the 1930's.

Hamilton courthouse, 1932.  

Architects:  1932: E. M. Miles

1887: Mason, Martin, Byrnes & Johnston

 Apparently the older one, built in 1887, is in the middle of the newer one.  Hamilton is a cute town and has a good radio station!

Gatesville courthouse, 1897.  

Architect: W. C. Dodson

 Apparently the dome inside is spectacular, so we'll have to go back during the week when it's open.

Old Gatesville jail.

Boerne, Bandera, Kerrville, 8/10/11 - one last go before The Job starts again.

Inside the Boerne courtroom - still in use today, in the old part of the courthouse, built in 1870.

The Boerne courthouse, front part added on to the old back in 1909.

Architects: 1870: Phillip Zoeller & S. F. Stendebalk

1910 facade: Alfred Giles

Boerne is a tourist town, but not obnoxiously so!  Ye Kendall Inn is a nice place to stay, in the heart of downtown.  We had kolaches from Little Gretel, which were terrific.  Boerne also has a brewpub: the Dodging Duck, which has good beers and a good American menu.

Bandera courthouse, 1890, unfortunately nothing special inside.

Architect: B. F. Trester

Bandera is a cool town, with several dancehalls, good restaurants, and great camping, hiking, and mountain biking nearby at Hill Country State Natural Area.  

Old Bandera jail and courthouse, 1868.  Interestingly, the "courthouse" wasn't actually built to be a courthouse - the only one of its kind we've seen yet. 

Kerrville courthouse, 1926.

Architect: Adams & Adams

We stayed at the YO Ranch Hotel here for the Kerrville Folk Festival, months after this visit, and had a great weekend!  The YO is really nice and of course, the Folk Festival is world-renowned.  We had dinner an unremarkable dinner at Billy Gene's.  

courthouses and breweries 7/28 & 29, Gonzales, Blanco

Inside the Gonzales courtroom - last time we were here, it was a weekend, so we couldn't go in.  On our way to the Spoetzl Brewery, in Shiner, where Shiner Bock beer is made!

Old Blanco courthouse, 1886.  Only used until 1890, when the county seat was moved to Johnson City. On our way to the Real Ale Brewery, in Blanco.  

Inside the old Blanco courtroom - this room was in "True Grit".

Aaron inside the old Blanco jail - barely big enough for 3 - 4 cots probably.  No cells like the other jails we've seen.