East Texas Family Records, Volume 13, Number 3, Fall 1989 Page: 28
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EAST TEXAS FAHILY RECORDS VOL. B1 N, 3, FAL 1989
Rusk County Courthouses (Continued)
Pavement around the courthouse area was laid by J. W. Flanagan. It was 8
feet wide from the walls outward. The pavement was of sun-dried brick. The
only Henderson brick-makers at this time were the Howards of the Howard-Dickinson
House. Yates and Flanagan (Yates was Flanagan's son-in-law) were the contractors.
The courthouse in the center of the square was torn down when the present
courthouse was completed. The cornerstone of the 1878 building was re-discovered
in 1968 by Maida Jaggers and others. It was being used for a church step for the
Mt. Hope Methodist Church at Joinerville. The stone was taken to Commissioner
Dan Dickinson's precinct barn and from there it seems to have been misplaced as
it is no longer there. Plans were being made to put it on the courthouse grounds
in a special place.
In the fall of 1927, the voters of the county voted bonds to build a new
courthouse. This added 5% tax on all property in the county. Plans were drawn
by Curtis and Thomas, architects of Dallas, in early February 1928. The contractor
for the building was Ross Maddox, Eddie Maddox's grandfather. E. J. Teller and
son provided the heating and plumbing. The total cost of the Building was $167,366.
Construction began on May 1, 1928, and was completed at the end of February 1929.
The only formal dedication of the building was a 4-H Achievement Day on
March 27, 1929. A local band played in the district court room while the crowd
gathered. A choir sang, "America." Former County Judge (ending his term in 1928)
J. T. Watson gave the invocation.
The current county judge of that time, S. L. Ramsey, spoke and then he was
followed by District Judge R. T. Brown, who addressed the group. There were many
others who spoke at the occasion, but they are too numerous to mention.
The old courthouse was torn down in April 1929. The area was cleared so
that there would be more parking space on the square.
The present courthouse has been remodeled on the exterior twice since then -
the interior many times.
Under the 1972 law passed by the Texas Legislature, all courthouse structures
are now under the protection of the Texas Historical Commission. No changes may
be made in the Exterior without the permission of the architects of the Texas
Historical Commission at Austin.
When the new jail here was originally planned, the Texas Historical Commission
would not approve nor accept the overhead runway to the chourthouse
from the new jail. Under the law, our courthouse here in Rusk County will remain
whether the government occupies it or not.
NEW RUSK COUNTY HISTORY BOOK IN THE MAKING...If you have ancestors or family in
Rusk County, Texas, you will be interested in the plans to publish a new history
book for the county, including histories of the towns, churches, schools, businesses,
civic clubs, and other organizations, past and present. The family history section
will be of special interest to those with roots in Rusk County. For details, write
John R. Dulin, project director, 200 Choctaw Trail, Henderson, TX 75652 or call
(214) 657-4381. 28
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East Texas Genealogical Society. East Texas Family Records, Volume 13, Number 3, Fall 1989, periodical, Autumn 1989; Tyler, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth38020/m1/30/: accessed April 25, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting East Texas Genealogical Society.