Before and After Restorartion
Henry T. Phelps, a San Antonio architect, designed the 1913 Mills County Courthouse. Because the previous courthouse burned in 1912, the new courthouse was designed to be “fireproof”, with structural clay tile walls, concrete framing, terrazzo and scored concrete flooring, and steel windows in the County Clerk’s office to protect deed records. The distinctive Neoclassical design features cast stone pilasters, pedimented entries, and “iron spot” Acme brick veneer, topped by a copper entablature and massive sandstone parapet. Restoration of the District Courtroom revealed cast plaster coffers, ornate pilasters, and balcony seating. The warm-colored plaster, found throughout the building interior, was restored imitating the variations and texture of the original skilled artisans. While the main corridors feature Georgia marble wainscots, other areas are distinguished by wainscots using a smooth-troweled Venetian plaster technique as a substitute for marble. Historic wall murals were painstakingly conserved in one basement room, advertising bail bonds, banks and barbers (everything a prisoner might need before a court appearance!).
Fun Facts
