O'Neil Building
Wellington, Collingsworth County, Texas
Marker Inscription
Bricks visible in the facade of this structure were left over from construction of the first Collingsworth County Courthouse in 1893. Contractor, J.A. White built the courthouse of locally-made bricks and then, with the extra materials, erected this store, the first brick commercial building in Wellington. He sold it in 1897 to E.T. O'Neil(1857-99), who ran a general store here. The space was later rented by a meat market, music store, drugstore, and several cafes. The courthouse was razed in 1931, but the old bricks survive in this structure, sold by O'Neil's heirs in 1965 to Cecil Browning. (1975) Incise on back: Sponsored by Zoe O'Neil Small (Mrs. Clinton C. Small, Sr.)
Erected by Texas Historical Commission
The Story
Contractor J.A. White used bricks left over from Collingsworth County's first courthouse to build this store in 1893, the first brick commercial building in Wellington. Sold to merchant E.T. O'Neil in 1897, it later housed a meat market, music store, drugstore, and cafes — and its salvaged courthouse bricks outlasted the courthouse itself.
Why it matters
A humble commercial block built from a demolished courthouse's bricks embodies the resourceful growth of a frontier county seat.
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Related people
- · J.A. White
- · E.T. O'Neil
Themes & tags
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