HOPKINS COUNTY COURTHOUSE
SULPHUR SPRINGS, TEXAS
The Hopkins County courthouse is one of James
Riely Gordon's masterpieces and attracts attention and praise
from all who view its historic beauty. He built thirteen in
Texas, and of these, nine are still in use today for their original
purposes, three are annexes or museums and only one has been
replaced. Unique and imposing in design, the courthouse has
been the scene of many dramatic moments in its 106 plus years.
The Hopkins County courthouse was built on the
east side of the public square in February of 1882 when the
county seat was moved to Sulphur Springs from Tarrant. When
the lamplighter made his round of the public square on the night
of February 11, 1894, he might have stopped to gaze at the tall
cupola of the courthouse that was the pride of Sulphur Springs
and Hopkins County. A few hours later, on the morning of February
12, almost the entire block of the east side of the square was
a smoldering ruin. A fire had destroyed the Brinker Building
near the northeast corner of the square. The courthouse and
jail were a mass of ashes and fallen brick and ironwork. To
a less vigorous people, this loss might have caused a slump
in public interest, but to the citizens of Sulphur Springs and
Hopkins County, it was a challenge.
No time was lost making preparations for the building
of a new courthouse. On March 2, 1894, the location for the
new Hopkins County courthouse was determined to be on the northwest
corner of the block east of the public square. This lot was
agreed upon, provided that a written guarantee, abstract, or
title, and warranty deed could be given on the Kellogg and Whitworth
lots. It was agreed to pay $4,000 for the Whitworth and Seay
house and lot and to deed to Kellogg a lot of 30 feet front
and 80 feet back on the southwest corner of the courthouse lot
and pay him $1,250. On March 6, 1894, the contract for the building
of the jail by Diebold Safe and lock Company was approved. The
plans called for a building to cost $13,000. The first payment
of $2,500 was to be made when the construction was up to the
windowsills; the second payment of $2,500 when the iron and
steel were in the ground; and the balance when the building
was completed and accepted. It was to be forty by fifty feet,
two-story and fireproof.
On March 24, 1894, James Riely Gordon of San Antonio,
Texas, was selected as architect to prepare plans and specifications
for the new courthouse and to superintend the building of the
same. On May 12, 1894, bids to yield the new courthouse were
opened by the court. It was unanimously resolved to award the
contract to build a three-story, fireproof courthouse of red
Texas granite with stone trimmings to Sonnerfield and Ammins
of Dallas, Texas, at a cost of $52,410.00.
Problems began to arise during the construction
and the court employed an expert architect, A. O. Watson of
Austin, to come to Sulphur Springs and inspect the work of the
contractors. He was to report whether or not the work was being
done according to specifications. When the inspection of the
construction was completed, Mr. Watson made his report. He began
by stating that he was making the report by request and he intimated
that he thought it was unethical to ask an architect to spy
on and criticize the work of a fellow professional. However,
the report that he submitted had an ominous sound. The tower,
he said, had sunk, there were cracks in the foundation, the
walls needed steel rods to brace them in places and water was
standing in the basement. His recommendations were evidently
sound and no doubt were followed closely, as the bracings are
visible in some areas of the building today.
By August 22, 1895, the courthouse had been finished
and the county judge and the commissioners made a tour of inspection,
along with the sheriff. All points of the contract having been
met satisfactorily, the building was accepted by the group.
The final cost was $75,000.
It was now time to furnish the building, so the
contract for installing coal stoves an kerosene lamps went to
Smith and Weigers Hardware Company of Sulphur Springs. A. H.
Andrews of Tyler, Texas, furnished wooden furniture and linoleum
rugs for the courthouse. All metal furniture and fixtures used
in the vaults were purchased from Office Specialty Company,
represented by J. B. Parham of Dallas. One hundred spittoons
were ordered from J. C. Gardner of Winnsboro, Texas. B. P. Joiner
was employed to build a walk around the building and to fill
up the cistern on the north side of the courthouse grounds.
The building was now ready for occupancy. Before the building
was complete, a petition was circulated by interested citizens
asking for a clock to be placed in the tower. County officials
mulled over this request and decided that the placing of a clock
in the spire would be permissible provided that it could be
done by popular subscription and at no cost to the county. This
was discussed avidly among the interested groups, but no action
was taken. Commissioner at the time, R. Carpenter, said of the
clock, "Get up at sunup; go to bed at dark, and eat when
you are hungry, and you don't need no d_ _ _ clock."
(Written in 1975 by Kenneth and Sidney Brice and
Mattie Long to the Texas State Historical Commission in application
for an official Tex
