|
|
|
R E S O L U T I O N
|
|
WHEREAS, November 7, 2011, marks the 100th anniversary of the |
|
dedication of the Williamson County Courthouse; and |
|
WHEREAS, County residents voted in 1909 to approve a $100,000 |
|
bond issue for the construction of a new courthouse building; |
|
designed by C. H. Page and Brother, an Austin architectural firm, |
|
the courthouse was built by contractor William C. Whitney in the |
|
Beaux-Arts style and features polished marble wainscoting |
|
throughout; the handsome clock faces located in the dome were |
|
manufactured by the E. Howard Clock Company in Boston; and |
|
WHEREAS, On October 6, 1910, the Masons presided over an |
|
elaborate cornerstone-laying ceremony, and the building was |
|
dedicated by the county bar association on November 7, 1911; it |
|
later underwent three major renovations and many modifications, |
|
including the unfortunate demolition of key architectural features |
|
in 1966; after the turn of the 21st century, preservation-minded |
|
citizens and officials began working with the Texas Historical |
|
Commission to return the courthouse to its original splendor, |
|
removing a brick parapet and replacing the original terra cotta |
|
triangular pediments and balustrades; moreover, the famous 26th |
|
District Courtroom, with its two-story ceiling and balcony, now |
|
looks as it did when Williamson County district attorney Dan Moody |
|
successfully tried members of the Ku Klux Klan in 1924; the building |
|
won the Best Restoration award from the Texas Downtown Association |
|
President's Award Program in 2008; and |
|
WHEREAS, The Williamson County Courthouse stands as a |
|
testament to the pride area citizens take in their community and its |
|
unique social and cultural heritage; now, therefore, be it |
|
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 82nd Texas |
|
Legislature hereby commemorate the centennial of the Williamson |
|
County Courthouse and commend all those who have contributed to the |
|
preservation of this historic public building; and, be it further |
|
RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
|
prepared for display at the Williamson County Courthouse as an |
|
expression of high regard by the Texas House of Representatives. |