Heritage, Volume 5, Number 2, Summer 1987 Page: 47
49 p. : ill. ; 28 cm.View a full description of this periodical.
Extracted Text
The following text was automatically extracted from the image on this page using optical character recognition software:
Late nineteenth century romantic
sympathies occasionally
were manifested in symbolic
features expressing a building's
purpose.stone. In Columbus, the original owner
of the Stafford Opera House evidently
wanted posterity to know that he was a
rancher; on the cornerstone is a low-relief
carving depicting a cow being roped.
Late nineteenth century romantic
sympathies occasionally were manifestedin symbolic features expressing a building's
purpose. On the stone of the Red
River County Courthouse in Clarksville,
a likeness of the Goddess of Justice was
cut as an everpresent reminder of the
temple's purpose. In the cornerstone of
the Leon County Courthouse in Centerville appears a scale expressing a similar
concept. In Brownwood, a book form cut
into the memorial stone in the tower
walls of the Main Building of Howard
Payne College reveals the religious focus
of the school, a Southern Baptist institution.
At Mary Hardin Baylor University
in Belton, Texas, the purpose of the
school was announced by the dedication
to "female education and piety" noted on
a commemorative stone.
Yet other inscriptions reveal aspects of
particular interest. In Austin, for example,
the Fourth of July 1885 was celebrated
by laying a granite cornerstone in
the walls of the Driskill Hotel. It was presented
to Colonel J. W. Driskill by the
citizens of Austin "as a token of esteem
and appreciation of his enterprise" in
building the hotel. The builders of the
McClennan County Courthouse in Waco
evidently wanted posterity to remember
that the edifice was ERECTED BY THE
TAX PAYERS.
Likewise, cornerstones with dates and
inscriptions were laid in churches and cathedrals.
Reflecting the immigrant origins
of parish members, the inscription on the
memorial stone of St. Joseph's Catholic
Church in San Antonio, expresses a religious
focus with phrases lettered in German
script.
Today, of course, cornerstones are no
longer used. Steel and glass have replaced
masonry construction, and the objectivism
of the current times has curtailed
romantic attitudes. Now information
about important structures is simply recorded
on metal plaques mounted in
foyers. However, interest in revealing
something of our contemporary culture to
future generations has reappeared with
the placement of time capsules in or near
building walls. It would be intriguing to
know what future writers will say about
these.
Williard B. Robinson is an architect and architectural
historian living in Lubbock, Texas.
47
Upcoming Pages
Here’s what’s next.
Search Inside
This issue can be searched. Note: Results may vary based on the legibility of text within the document.
Tools / Downloads
Get a copy of this page or view the extracted text.
Citing and Sharing
Basic information for referencing this web page. We also provide extended guidance on usage rights, references, copying or embedding.
Reference the current page of this Periodical.
Texas Historical Foundation. Heritage, Volume 5, Number 2, Summer 1987, periodical, Summer 1987; Austin, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth45437/m1/47/: accessed April 26, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Texas Historical Foundation.