
Harris County Courthouse

by David Morefield
Title
Harris County Courthouse
Artist
David Morefield
Medium
Photograph - Photo
Description
Built in 1910, the Harris County Courthouse has witnessed the city of Houston swallow it with skyscrapers. The courthouse was designed by the Allen Brothers when the city was first plotted in 1837. The first courthouse was too small, so they brought it down in order to build a grand structure featuring corinthian columns on all four sides and a monumental staircase. The interior also features a large rotunda and circular staircase.
In 1941, they removed the drinking troughs for horses from the San Jacinto Street side of the building. Then in 1954, the courthouse underwent extensive modernization attempts; the grand staircase on the Fannin Street side was demolished and they added more usable square footage by eliminating the atrium from the design.
As the needs of the county government grew, they build courthouse annexes and moved courtrooms to other buildings.
In 2000, the county decided to completely renovate the building and restore some of its original grand features such as the atrium. They replaced the worn marble from the same quarry in Georgia that provided the original marble for the construction. The false floors were removed and they placed stained glass over the atrium and they restored the courtroom balconies.
Rededicated in 2001, the Harris County Courthouse seems to glow with a sense of pride and dignity in its historic role as a "Temple of Justice."
The building now houses the 1st and 14th Courts of Appeals.
Uploaded
July 20th, 2013
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