Bexar County Courthouse

If you go looking for the county courthouse in San Antonio, just don't ask for the 'Becks-ar' County Courthouse. While there may be a few variant... more

by Joan Carroll

Title

Bexar County Courthouse

Artist

Joan Carroll

Medium

Photograph - Digital Art

Description

If you go looking for the county courthouse in San Antonio, just don't ask for the 'Becks-ar' County Courthouse. While there may be a few variant pronunciations, you'll get by if you just pronounce it 'Bear'. Like the animal. Yes, really! This is the fourth courthouse for the county since Texas became a state. The statue in front is Lady Justice, naked and blindfolded with a sword in one hand and scales in the other, standing atop a globe. The statue was vandalized in 1997 but restored in 2008. Restoration was led by sculptor Gilbert Barrera, who says that in Greek mythology, "bareness and naturalness were a sign of purity, goodness and justice." The Bexar County Courthouse is the largest and oldest continuously operated historic courthouse in Texas. Designed in the distinctive Romanesque Revival style by renowned architect, James Riely Gordon, its cornerstone was laid in 1892 and the grand Courthouse was completed in 1897. It is a masterpiece of native Texan granite and red sandstone, roofed in distinctive green and red tiles. Mr. Gordon designed seventy-two courthouses and hundreds of other notable public buildings, including the Arizona State Capitol, during his lifetime.Ground was broken for Gordon's structure on August 4, 1891, and the cornerstone was laid December 17, 1892. After several delays, construction was fully completed in 1896. The building was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1977.

FEATURED PHOTO, Over 3000 Views group, 8/22/21

FEATURED PHOTO, 1 a Day Waiting Room Art group, 8/21/21

FEATURED PHOTO, No Place Like Home group, 6/19/20

FEATURED PHOTO, 500 Views group, 8/11/15

FEATURED PHOTO, Historical Buildings of the World-100 group, 8/10/15

FEATURED PHOTO, Artists Best Five Artwork Group ABFA Group, 8/7/15

FEATURED PHOTO, The Road To Self Promotion group, 8/7/15

FEATURED PHOTO, Topaz Simplify-Glow-Impression Photo Renderings group, 8/6/15

Uploaded

August 6th, 2015