Facts
📍 Region: South Texas Plains / City: La Grange
🗓️ Year Built: 1891
🧑🎨 Architect: J. Riely Gordon
🏛️ Architectural Style: Romanesque Revival
💎 Unique Details: What makes it unique is its vibrant mix of native Texas stones—blue Muldoon sandstone, white limestone, red Pecos sandstone, and pink Burnet granite—that create a richly textured facade. It also features a four-story clock tower, an open rotunda with arched galleries, and intricate Romanesque detailing. Ornate touches include a carved stone eagle perched atop the building, whimsical gargoyle-like faces in the masonry, and a rare, light-filled inner courtyard.
Why See It?
This courthouse is one of the most visually striking and architecturally significant in Texas. Its artistic flourishes and thoughtful design elements make it a true architectural gem—and a remarkably photogenic one at that.
Nearby Highlights
Painted Churches of Schulenburg – These churches, built in the late 1800s and early 1900s by Czech and German immigrants, may appear modest from the outside but reveal breathtaking interiors filled with vibrant murals, faux-marble columns, and intricate stenciled designs inspired by Europe’s grand cathedrals.
Bastrop State Park and Buescher State Park – Just a short drive east, Bastrop and Buescher State Parks are connected by a scenic park road and together form a vital part of the Lost Pines ecosystem. These tranquil parks offer nearly 8 miles of shaded forest trails, a peaceful lake, and charming historic structures built by the CCC.
Photo Gallery
