Fannin County celebrated the reopening of its 1888 Historic Courthouse on March 10 after a four-year restoration project in Bonham, home of former Speaker of the U.S. House Sam Rayburn.
The $29 million endeavor was funded by the citizens of the Fannin County ($23 million) and the Texas Historical Commission’s Texas Historic Courthouse Preservation Program ($6 million). Architexas served as the architect, and Turner Construction was Fannin County’s construction agent.
Anything that was not original to the courthouse in 1888 was removed; the county did add modern amenities, such as LED lighting and air conditioning.
The original courthouse burned in 1929, and many of the historic elements of the courthouse were destroyed, lost, or removed. The courthouse was then modernized in 1965.
The restoration project reversed the 1965 building modifications, which were part of a remodeling project; these modifications were in disrepair and required upgrades to meet building codes. In addition, the “modernized finishes” on the interior had become worn and dated.
In 1999, county officials began the process to seek a full building restoration to remedy these conditions while at the same time restoring the building to serve the citizens of this historical community into the 21st century.
The grand 1888 restoration of the Fannin County Courthouse started to become a reality when Barbara McCutcheon of the Fannin County Historical Commission fought “tooth and nail” to get it going. The dream to restore the courthouse became a reality thanks to McCutcheon, the Fannin County Historical Commission, the Texas Historical Commission, and the incredible citizens of Fannin County.
Fannin County held an election to vote on purchasing bonds in November of 2016 to begin funding this endeavor. The citizens voted in favor of the restoration!
The process of selecting the construction agent began in 2018; after some time had passed since the initial approval by the citizens, construction costs had skyrocketed, and the project was going to cost a lot more than anticipated. In 2019, there was discussion about halting the project and starting over; after much dialogue, the majority of the Commissioners Court voted to move forward and go out for certificates of obligation. The Commissioners Court felt this was best since the project was already in swing and the citizens deserved a beautiful courthouse, not a half-finished courthouse because there weren’t enough funds.
So, the decision was made to continue. The county could begin moving forward, and then, enter COVID. Construction companies were experiencing labor shortages, vendors were unable to obtain needed materials, and even county staffing was affected for periods of time. Budget overage, supply delays, construction delays…it seemed the hits just kept coming.
However, the county saw the project through. In a defining moment, hundreds of citizens filled the courthouse parking lot, surrounding streets, and even buildings across from the courthouse as the majestic cupola with clock tower was placed on the top of the courthouse. It was a beautiful sight!
Project achievements included:
- installed lighting for general nighttime façade illumination and replicated indoor decorative lighting;
- restored wall plaster and painting;
- removed wall paneling in conjunction with lay-in suspended acoustical ceiling system for HVAC rework and ceiling restoration;
- removed added partitions in primary offices and, where possible, in secondary offices;
- removed gypsum board and vinyl, restored plaster, and painted stair landing walls;
- made miscellaneous necessary repairs to limestone;
- restored wood wainscot in the all-original use areas of the courthouse; and
- restored original wall base and trim.
The ceiling was maintained or restored to the corrugated metal type structure with LED lighting throughout including the restrooms. Renovations called for removing the lay-in ceilings for HVAC rework and restoration of original ceilings, along with restoring vaulted plaster courtroom ceilings with the addition of historically compatible acoustic upgrades. The master plan also called for including historically accurate and historically compatible lighting with supplemental down-lighting where necessary, and installing gypsum board furrings for concealment of ductwork only where absolutely necessary.
The outside stone, which was one of the largest undertakings, was donated by the Yarborough family out of the Floyd Quarry. The quarry is located about 4 miles south of Honey Grove and is part of the Gober Chalk Geologic Formation.
With regard to interior millwork, the following were restored: commissioners court bench and county court at law bench with witness stand, jury box, miscellaneous loose chairs, council tables, and dividing rail. The project also included replication of the original wood benches to replace existing added (presumably 1888) benches, and installing new, historically compatible wood public counters where necessary. New furniture was purchased for all offices in the newly restored courthouse
Prior to the project, the county court at law and justice of the peace courts were not currently housed in the courthouse. These offices have moved back from various locations in the city of Bonham.
Fast forward three and a half years, over 200 meetings, thousands of emails, and uncountable arguments, disagreements and points of views, and here Fannin County sits with one of the most beautifully restored courthouses in all of Texas. Our hope is that the citizens are proud to call Fannin County their home and that the Fannin County Courthouse is a shining star to them.
Submitted by the offices of the Fannin County Judge and the Fannin County Auditor