SPRING BREAK TRIP: 3/17: Roby, Anson, Albany, Breckenridge, Palo Pinto.

Roby, 1973.

Architects: Lovett & Sellar & Assoc.

1965 annex, 1928 jail.

Anson interior.  

Anson, 1910.

Old Albany jail, 1877, now the Art museum.

Albany, 1883.  

Love at first sight!  Great little town!  Sheriff told us (as he was working the desk at the Art museum/jail) that this is the oldest, continuously used courthouse in Texas.  Gotta check on that.  

Just checked on it - nope, sorry Sheriff, the oldest one by consensus is Linden, which a main portion of was built in 1865.   This courthouse was one of our final 9 when we were looking for one in which to get married!  Ultimately, it's middle-of-nowhere-ness and potential lack of hotels ruled it out.  

Fort Griffin is nearby - home to the Texas State Longhorn herd and the Fandangle, which almost every Albany citizen has acted in at some point in their life! The Old Jail Art Center has a world-class collection, there is an amazing soda fountain down the street, and Perini Ranch Steakhouse is less than an hour away, in Buffalo Gap.  There is lodging in both Albany and Perini Ranch.  

Breckenridge, 1922.

Architect: David S. Castle

Palo Pinto, 1940.

Architects: Preston M. Geren & M. A. Howell

Built by the WPA, there is an old jail built in 1882, which is now part of a museum complex of historical buildings. 

We had lunch at the Lone Camp Depot - yum!  The owner is a train enthusiast and has a model train running around the perimeter of the restaurant / store. 

SPRING BREAK TRIP: 3/16: Seymour, Archer City, Wichita Falls, Henrietta, Jacksboro, Graham, Throckmorton, Haskell, Aspermont, Jayton.

Seymour, 1968.

Architects: Pierce, Norris & Pace

Archer City, 1891.  

Architect: A. N. Dawson

Lovely restoration! 1910 jail is now a museum.  Archer City is a lovely little town!

Old Archer City jail.

Wichita Falls, 1916 courthouse encased in 1961 remodel. 

Architects: Fields & Clarkson & Sanguinet & Pate

Henrietta, 1884.  

Architects: Wilson & Tozer

Cute, thriving town - the old jail is now used for storage. 

Jacksboro, 1939.

Architects: Voelcker & Dixon

Gorgeous Art Deco inside and out!!  Needs renovating but not too terribly.  Jacksboro is a lovely little town too.  We lunched at the Green Frog: good buffet, good service, busy restaurant! 

Graham, 1932.

Architects: Withers & Thompson

Wow!  Fantastic inside & out! Graham has the "largest downtown square in America" and is a busy, lovely town.  The constable told us to check out the courtroom, which was also fantastic, but the paint needs restoration.

Graham interior.

Throckmorton, 1890.

Architects: Martin, Byrnes & Johnston

Haskell, 1892.

Architects: Larmour & Watson, 1931 additions: Austin & Butler Co.

Aspermont, 1982.

Architects: Mills-Davis

We stayed at Hickman's Motel, had dinner and breakfast at Hickman's Restaurant - fortunately it was pretty good, because there weren't many other choices in town - for both food and lodging!  The Motel was ridiculously cheap, but had all the amenities of higher-priced hotels.  

Jayton, 1957.

Architect: Wyatt C. Hedrick

The county seat was in Clairemont until 1954.  

SPRING BREAK TRIP: 3/15: Canadian, Miami, Wheeler, Wellington, Childress, Paducah, Matador, Dickens, Guthrie, Benjamin, Crowell, Quanah, Vernon

Canadian, 1909.  

Architect: Gillcoat & Skinner

Being renovated.  Neat town, it looked busy and prosperous.

Miami, 1913.

Architect: Elmer George Withers

Cute town.

Wheeler, 1925.

Architect: E. H. Eads

Wellington, 1932.

Architect: Berry & Hatch

Gorgeous!

Wellington interior, fabulous Art Deco.

Childress, 1939.

Architect: Townes & Funk

We had lunch at T Berry's  - good little sandwich shop.

Childress jail and Sheriff's office, very fancy,  1905.

Paducah, 1930.

Architect: Voelcker & Dixon

We loved the art deco details.

Matador, 1948.

Architect: Wyatt C. Hedrick

Dickens, 1893.

Architect: E. L. Aiken

Needs renovating - the original roof is gone.  

Old Dickens jail, 1891, still in use!

Guthrie, 1982.

Architect: T. Renfro

The old one, built in 1914, is now a library.  There's an old jail too, but it's not in use anymore.  

Old Benjamin jail, now a home, 1887.

Benjamin, 1935.

Architect: Voelcker & Dixon

Cute tiny town!

Crowell, 1909.

Architect: McDonald Bros.

Cute little town with a 1931 jail.

Crowell jail, 1931.

Quanah, 1907.

Architect: R. H. Stuckey

Cute little town, old jail, lovely old depot.  They have wooden models of the courthouse for sale downtown!

Vernon, 1928.

Architect: Voelcker & Dixon

Big little town!  

SPRING BREAK TRIP: 3/14: Hereford, Vega, Boys Ranch / Old Tascosa, Channing, Stratford, Spearman, Perryton, Lipscomb

Hereford, 1910.

Architect: Chamberlin & Co.

Gorgeous white Georgia marble - the only one in Texas!  Lovely interior too.  

Hereford interior.

Vega, 1915.

Architect: O. G. Roquemore

This one originaly had a peaked roof, but it was flattened at some point. 

Old Tascosa, 1881 - 1915, no longer county seat.  Courthouse is now a museum at Boys Ranch.

Channing, 1906.

Architect: O. G. Roquemore

We had a good lunch at the Cowgirl Cafe.

Channing jail, 1906, still in use!

Stratford, 1922.

Architect: Parker & Rittenberry

Cute town.

Spearman, 1931.

Architect: David S. Castle

Spearman has a windmill collection around town, with a nice one in front of the courthouse.

Perryton, 1928.

Architect: Mann & Co.

The bulls' heads above the door were cool!

Lipscomb, 1916.

Architect: W. M. Rice

This town of 45 people looks like a movie set!

We camped at Black Kettle National Grasslands and were the only campers in the park!  It was beautiful too.

SPRING BREAK TRIP: 3/13: Memphis, Clarendon, Claude, Panhandle, Pampa, Stinnett

Memphis, 1923. 

Architect: C. H. Page & Bros.

Really nice little town with a lovely city park in which camping is free!  

Clarendon, 1890.

Architect: Bulger & Rapp

What a gorgeous courthouse!!  Cute little town with an old, functioning drive-in movie theater! This is the oldest courthouse in the Panhandle.  

Interior of Clarendon.  Wow! 

Claude, 1912.

Architect: Elmer George Withers

Panhandle, 1950.

Architect: J. C. Berry, Kerr & Kerr

This courthouse has lovely friezes above the doors.  

Pampa, 1922.

Architect: W. R. Kaufman

Busy town with a gorgeous courthouse! 

Stinnett, 1927.

Architect: William Townes

The oil frieze above the doorway was really cool.

We camped in Palo Duro Canyon, which was amazing!