Wood County Courthouse
Quitman, Wood County, Texas
Marker Inscription
The Texas legislature created Wood County in 1850 with Quitman as the county seat. The county first used a log courthouse on the south side of the square before building a two-story frame structure, which burned in 1878. The county’s third courthouse, designed by the noted F.E. Ruffini, was completed in 1884. It burned in 1924, and the county hired C.H. Leinbach of Dallas to design a new courthouse; Rice Construction Co. served as general contractor. The county added an annex in 1950, but the courthouse retains its Classical Revival style, with features including a grand stair with raised entry, a four column temple front, and a full entablature with dentil molding and pediment. Recorded Texas Historic Landmark - 2003
Erected by Texas Historical Commission
The Story
When the Texas legislature created Wood County in 1850, it named Quitman the county seat, which began governing from a humble log courthouse. Fire repeatedly claimed its successors — a frame structure in 1878 and F.E. Ruffini's building in 1924 — before the present Classical Revival courthouse rose with its columned temple front and pedimented entablature. It has anchored the county square ever since.
Why it matters
County courthouses were the civic hearts of frontier Texas, and this one's repeated rebuilding after fire embodies a community's persistence in maintaining self-government.
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Themes & tags
Nearby & related markers
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