First Bandera County Courthouse
Bandera, Bandera County, Texas
Marker Inscription
Georgia stonemason Henry White is credited with building this structure in 1868. In 1877, a store occupied the first floor and the Masonic Lodge met on the top floor. County commissioners bought the building that year to provide space for county offices, then housed in rented quarters. The county retained ownership of the structure after a larger courthouse was erected in 1890. Recorded Texas Historic Landmark - 1979
Erected by Texas Historical Commission
The Story
Georgia stonemason Henry White is credited with raising this stone building in 1868 in the young frontier town of Bandera. By 1877 a store filled the ground floor while the Masonic Lodge met above; that year the county bought it to house its offices, which had been renting quarters. It stayed in county hands even after a grander courthouse rose in 1890.
Why it matters
This early courthouse marks the moment a frontier county built its first permanent seat of government, a foundational step in bringing law and order to the Texas Hill Country.
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Related people
- · Henry White
Themes & tags
Nearby & related markers
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