County seat – Linden
Built – 1861
Style – Classical Revival
Architect – Charles Ames (County Judge)
Date Photographed – 12/7/12
We drove up to Cass Courthouse late on a long day of travel. It had been fairly cloudy all day – but the sun had come out and the setting sun shone brilliantly on this newly renovated building. The courthouse is situated on the town square – in what seemed to be a fairly quiet town. Since it is in the process of being renovated – the interior was not open. All of the county business had been moved elsewhere until completion. From what I could see – they were doing a good job inside. Though built in 1861, the courthouse went through major renovations in 1900 and 1931. The renovation is based on the 1930’s:
“The Cass County Courthouse, originally constructed in 1860 and the only continuously functioning antebellum courthouse in Texas, has been altered several times since its initial construction. The restoration date for the building will be 1934 due to dramatic structural alterations to the roof, the introduction of colored stucco to the exterior of pigmented stucco and the existence of nearly all historic fabric from this period. The project will involve removing a 1980s addition and restoring all 1934 exterior and interior public spaces, as well as updating mechanical, electrical and plumbing systems and improving accessibility to the building to meet TDLR requirements.” (from the Texas Historical Commission website).