The Atascosa County courthouse was built of brick in 1912 in a style reflecting the missions and haciendas of old Mexico complete with Spanish roof tiles and turrets.
National Register Text
| Architect Henry T. Phelps
designed the Atascosa County Courthouse for the newly designated county seat
at Jourdanton, just south of San Antonio. Completed in 1912, the brick and
cast stone building incorporates the characteristic features of the Mission
Revival style, including curvilinear parapets, arcaded loggias and pyramidal
tile roofs. Still a dramatic landmark in the local setting, the courthouse
occupies a circular plot in contradistinction to the typical Texas
courthouse square. Despite modifications such as changes to its
fenestration, the building retains a high degree of its integrity of
location, design, setting, materials, workmanship, feeling and association.
Rising dramatically from generally flat topography, the courthouse is centered in a circular plot at the intersection of the town’s historic arteries, Main and Campbell streets (see Map-18). The elevation facing Main Street (northeast) originally served as the main entrance, although construction of State Highway 97 on the south reoriented the primary approach to the southeast. Two cross corridors leading from four identical entrances divide the courthouse’s square plan into four office areas (see Plan-22). Stairs in the center of the building and an elevator installed in the 1970s provide access to the upper floors. The courthouse is constructed of dark, red-brown brick accented with cast stone arches and string courses. Each of the identical elevations presents a symmetrical, five bay facade flanked by 3-story towers at either end (see Photos 1-4). The 2-story mass of the building steps back from the first floor loggias to a steeply pitched roof that stretches upwards to a central tower. Curvilinear parapets above each entrance and its corresponding second floor windows provide the focal point at the center of each elevation’s composition. Decorative cast stone surrounds contribute to this emphasis. Despite the replacement of the original 1/1 wood casement windows and transoms with 1970s aluminum windows, the facade retains its overall rhythm. The battered walls of the basement are of concrete covered with plaster to imitate limestone. Containing two sets of casement windows on either side of each entrance, this area was originally open. The county enclosed these openings in the late 1920s to create more office space in the basement. An arcaded loggia encircles the first floor, with its shed roof of clay tile visually unifying the first and second floors. Originally open (see Photo-26), it too was glazed in the 1920s to gain additional office space. Splayed steps lead to the main entrance through the center archway, emphasized by a cast stone surround, a decorative quatrefoil, and a scalloped gable. The second floor is also comprised of five bays with an a-b-c-b-a composition. The central window over the entrance projects slightly from the wall. A shaped parapet containing an oval vent and a decorative window surround echoes the composition of the ground floor. Four towers capped with scalloped parapets punctuate the corners of each facade. These 3-story towers are capped with a flat, built-up roof. Enclosed arched windows on the ground floor are intersected by a cast stone string course whose line is carried through the ground floor loggia. The second floor windows feature wrought iron balconies supported by cast-stone brackets. A frieze of Sullivanesque ornament is located under each of these balconies. The bracketed cornice of the second floor is carried into the third floors of the towers where it supports a wood railing. The slightly pointed arched openings, originally open, are now enclosed with plywood. The hipped roof of terra cotta tiles rises to a central tower, capped with a hipped and gabled roof. Two arched windows on each side of the tower support a cornice surmounted by an open area with brick piers. This central tower of somewhat squat proportions continues a tradition of courthouse design begun in the 1890s. Despite alterations over the years, the building retains all of its character defining Mission Revival elements. Initial alterations in 1927 glazed the ground floor loggias with steel sash windows and enclosed the open basement. In 1958 Marvin Eichenroht of San Antonio supervised changes including the reconfiguration of the steps, installation of aluminum and glass doors, placement of wire mesh over the towers to unsuccessfully discourage pigeon roosting, and the addition of air conditioning which included a large condenser on the east lawn. The tile roof was originally a darker color, perhaps green, but about 1987 orange tiles were installed. The eight windows of the central tower are currently boarded up to prevent water incursion, but plans call for the repair of these windows. Installation of a modern flag pole and a historical marker on the grounds also occurred after the period of significance. Such minor changes only minimally affect the integrity of the building’s materials, leaving intact its integrity of location, design, setting, workmanship, feeling and association. The most serious alteration, however, occurred with the replacement of the original windows with bronze anodized aluminum windows and dark tint glazing installed in 1976 by Johnson-Dempsey and Associates, Inc. (an elevator was also installed at this time). Installed without the proper review by the Texas Historical Commission, a lively correspondence between the architects and the agency ensued in which the architect claimed that the "detailing which may be of interest and great charm to historically oriented persons is of little importance to the laymen on the Commissioners Court." The current Atascosa County Commissioners Court intends to replace the aluminum windows with wood sash windows according to the original plans. Funds have been budgeted for this replacement and work should begin soon. In addition, plans include restoration of the central tower, repair of the widow’s walk of the central tower, and roof replacement. Installed within the casings of the original fenestration, the new windows maintain the historic rhythms of the original composition. While unfortunate, this type of alteration remains common in Texas’ public buildings such as courthouses and schools. As a result, this type of change need not adversely affect the integrity of a historic resource with both historical and architectural significance. National Park Service guidelines note that "a property that has lost historic materials or details can be eligible if it retains the majority of the features that illustrate its style in terms of the massing, spatial relationships, proportion, pattern of windows and doors, texture of materials, and ornamentation (National Register Bulletin 15: How to Apply the National Register Criteria for Evaluation, p.46). In addition, "the rarity and poor condition of other extant examples of the type may justify accepting a greater degree of alteration" (op cit, p. 47). As the Atascosa County Courthouse retains all of its characteristic Mission Revival features, it continues to convey its significance as the only surviving example of this style in a Texas courthouse. Architect Henry T. Phelps of San Antonio designed this Mission Revival courthouse as the result of a controversial move of the county seat to Jourdanton in the early years of the 20th century. Completed in 1912-13, Phelps’ design created an outstanding example of the style. Few Texas courthouses exhibit elements of the Mission Revival style, with this the only surviving example in the state displaying the full range of features associated with the style. The building continues to serve as the focal point of county politics and government, a role it played with distinction throughout the period of significance. Evaluated within the context of Courthouses in Texas: 1845-1950, the property is therefore nominated at the local level of significance under Criterion A in the area of Politics/Government and at the state level of significance under Criterion C in the area of Architecture. |