Since Trinity County was established in 1850, the county has had four county seats and six different courthouses. In 1908, a freestanding vault (designed by L.S. Green of Houston) was constructed next to the 1884 courthouse on the square in Groveton. It is an exact duplicate of the Polk County Records Building on the courthouse square in Livingston. C.H. Page & Brothers Architects of Austin transformed the modest Records Building into the graceful building standing today. They added a three-story center block with imposing limestone columns, distinctive copper-clad doors (moved from the Records Building), and a classical portico to house the new District Courtroom. The West Wing exactly matched the shape and style of the Records Building. This design accounts for the slender proportions of the courthouse as it was stretched to fill the center of the courthouse square. The building and furnishings were completed for $44,248.05 on July 18, 1914.
The courthouse was restored and fully-upgraded to modern standards by Michael Gaertner Architects of Galveston and J. C. Stoddard Construction Company of San Antonio. An innovative geo-exchange system heats and cools the building. The District Courtroom was reconfigured, the suspended ceiling was removed, the cast plaster ornamentation was restored, and acoustic upgrades were made to improve the functionality of the courtroom. Elevator access to all three floors was provided for the first time. The county received nearly $5 million in grant funding. It was rededicated on June 22, 2011 by an enthusiastic crowd of over 300 supporters.
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