| Fannin County Courthouse | |
|---|---|
Fannin County Courthouse in 2010 |
|
| General information | |
| Architectural style | 1889 Second Empire; 1965 Modern Movement, Art Deco |
| Town or city | Bonham, Texas |
| Country | United States |
| Coordinates |
N 33° 34.653 W 096° 10.721 14S E 761866 N 3718884 |
| Construction started | 1888 |
| Completed | 1889, lost tower 1929 fire; massive renovation 1969 |
| Design and construction | |
| Architect | 1888 Wesley Clark Dodson (1829-1914) of Dodson & Dudley of Waco, TX; 1965, unknown |
The Fannin County Courthouse is an historic courthouse building located in Bonham, Fannin County, Texas. Built in 1888-1889 of rough-cut local limestone from Gober by Scottish-born stonemasons Kane and Cormack, it was designed in the Second Empire style of architecture by Waco-based architect Wesley Clark Dodson (1829-1914) of the firm Dodson and Dudley. As built it was similar in appearance to the Hood County Courthouse Dodson designed shortly after it.[1] Its central clock tower and elaborate mansard roof were destroyed by fire on New Year's Eve, December 31, 1929, and were replaced by a flat roof.[2] In 1965 the courthouse was modernized, the remaining roof pediments were removed and the exterior was covered with a smooth surface of what is called Lueders stone or Lueders limestone, so that it now appears to be a Moderne or rather plain Art Deco building.[3] [4] [5]
In 2008 the county received a state historical renovation grant and discussion ensued about whether to restore the building to its earlier grandeur.[6]