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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, November 7, 2011, marks the 100th anniversary of the |
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dedication of the Williamson County Courthouse; and |
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WHEREAS, County residents voted in 1909 to approve a $100,000 |
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bond issue for the construction of a new courthouse building; |
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designed by C. H. Page and Brother, an Austin architectural firm, |
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the courthouse was built by contractor William C. Whitney in the |
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Beaux-Arts style and features polished marble wainscoting |
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throughout; the handsome clock faces located in the dome were |
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manufactured by the E. Howard Clock Company in Boston; and |
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WHEREAS, On October 6, 1910, the Masons presided over an |
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elaborate cornerstone-laying ceremony, and the building was |
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dedicated by the county bar association on November 7, 1911; it |
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later underwent three major renovations and many modifications, |
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including the unfortunate demolition of key architectural features |
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in 1966; after the turn of the 21st century, preservation-minded |
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citizens and officials began working with the Texas Historical |
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Commission to return the courthouse to its original splendor, |
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removing a brick parapet and replacing the original terra cotta |
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triangular pediments and balustrades; moreover, the famous 26th |
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District Courtroom, with its two-story ceiling and balcony, now |
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looks as it did when Williamson County district attorney Dan Moody |
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successfully tried members of the Ku Klux Klan in 1924; the building |
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won the Best Restoration award from the Texas Downtown Association |
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President's Award Program in 2008; and |
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WHEREAS, The Williamson County Courthouse stands as a |
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testament to the pride area citizens take in their community and its |
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unique social and cultural heritage; now, therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 82nd Texas |
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Legislature hereby commemorate the centennial of the Williamson |
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County Courthouse and commend all those who have contributed to the |
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preservation of this historic public building; and, be it further |
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RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
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prepared for display at the Williamson County Courthouse as an |
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expression of high regard by the Texas House of Representatives. |
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Schwertner |
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______________________________ |
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Speaker of the House |
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I certify that H.R. No. 2527 was adopted by the House on May |
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30, 2011, by a non-record vote. |
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______________________________ |
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Chief Clerk of the House |
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