The Mason County Courthouse has arisen from the ashes.
One of the more unique and stately of the 254 county courthouses in Texas, the seat of justice in the small ranching community of Mason was recognizable by its four white columns on each side and its grand copula with a four-face clock.
The red brick building with limestone trim was nearly completely destroyed by fire on the night of Feb. 4, 2021. On July 13, the courthouse was rededicated and opened to the public.
Several of the locals who wandered the halls and offices of the two-story building commented on how it looked different after the restoration. One woman said the place definitely looked brighter.
Maybe it’s the new wooden floor that glows a soft yellow that lightens the hallways and rooms. Or maybe it is the pastel colors of the walls that harken to the original paint scheme. The judge’s chair in the single courtroom on the second floor looks like a modest throne facing rows of light-colored wooden benches that resemble church pews. The county officials’ offices are small, but most have a view of the town square.
The Classical Revival-style courthouse designed by E.C. Hosford was built in 1910. A native of Georgia, Hosford built seven courthouses in Florida and three in Georgia besides the Mason and Glasscock county courthouses in Texas.
An arsonist, allegedly unhappy about the outcome of a court case, started the fire at one of the doors. By the time it was extinguished, the dome had collapsed, but the walls and iconic columns stood. Fortunately, the county records had been removed before the fire because the building was being restored.
With assistance from the community, the Texas Historical Commission’s Texas Historic Courthouse Preservation Program, the Texas Association of Counties, and the state, the nearly $20 million cost of rebuilding took over three years.
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This article appears in July 26 • 2024.
