Corinthian columns accent the Live Oak County Courthouse, designed by Alfred Giles in a Renaissance style. The county capitol is built of brick and concrete and was completed in 1920. A modern annex designed by Wyatt Hedrick was constructed in 1956.
The county’s original temple of justice was fashioned of wood in 1857, complete with four windows and four doors, and occupied a space of 20 feet by 40 feet in the original county seat of Oakville. A replacement courthouse was secured in 1888, also in Oakville.
In January 1919 after the railroad bypassed Oakville, voters moved the government to George West, home of the county’s third and final courthouse.
The county initially was created from Nueces and San Patricio counties and was organized in 1856. Live Oak County was named for its prominent trees, while the county seat honors George West, who founded the community.
George Washington West and his wife, Kittie Searcy West, moved to Live Oak County in 1880 and bought 26,000 head of cattle and 140,000 acres of land. West later decided to develop a town on the site of his ranch, building a school, highways, bridges, and a hotel, among other things.
The county is located in the South Texas Brush Country, midway between Choke Canyon Reservoir and State Park and Lake Corpus Christi State Park, and sits just 5 miles off Interstate 37.
Visitors frequent the area to view native wildlife and enjoy bountiful hunting and fishing. January and February are particularly popular months for white bass fishing in the Nueces River.
Several major annual events also draw crowds including the Live Oak County Fair and Dobie Dichos.
The fair is conducted in March and includes a parade, livestock show, carnival, and cabrito cook-off.
During Dobie Dichos, invited Texas writers/authors, historians, and storytellers read from and/or tell stories from the works of native son and noted folklorist J. Frank Dobie. The event takes place on the grounds of the 1887 Historic Oakville Jail, one of the only surviving structures from the original town.
According to www.dobiedichos.com, The New York Times cited Dobie Dichos, scheduled next for Nov. 6, as “one of the most interesting events to attend” in Texas!
There are 40 historical markers and war memorials in Live Oak County, as listed at https://bit.ly/live-oak-history. Several markers are related to Geronimo, a longhorn that once served as a lead steer for George West; Geronimo is preserved and displayed in a glass-fronted building near the Live Oak County Courthouse.
A dramatic symbol of ranching heritage in Texas, the display was described in Edna Ferber’s epic 1952 novel Giant. After learning that Geronimo would tour the USSR as a part of the 1976 American Bicentennial, the community came together to make sure that Geronimo was ready for the trip by quickly making much-needed restorations.