Winkler County Courthouse
Kermit, Winkler County, Texas
Marker Inscription
Built in 1929-30 in response to the need for a larger courthouse after the discovery of oil in the county in 1926, this replaced a 1910 structure on the same site. Designed by architect David Castle, the four-story classical revival/beaux arts building features distinctive two-story classical columns, decorative double-door surrounds and transoms, and paired and triple windows on the second and third floors. A one-story addition was built in the 1950s. (1988)
Erected by Texas Historical Commission
The Story
When oil was discovered in Winkler County in 1926, the population and county business exploded, and the modest 1910 courthouse could no longer keep up. Architect David Castle designed this four-story classical revival/beaux arts building in 1929-30, its two-story columns and ornate door surrounds announcing the county's sudden petroleum wealth. A one-story addition followed in the 1950s.
Why it matters
The courthouse is a monument in stone to the West Texas oil boom, showing how a single strike could transform a sparsely settled county into a place that needed a grand civic building almost overnight.
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Related people
- · David Castle
Themes & tags
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