Wise County Courthouse - Decatur, Texas - Victorian Style Architecture on Waymarking.com

"The design of J. Riely Gordon for the Wise County Courthouse was similar to but not identical with his design for the Ellis County Courthouse. One of a number of Texas courthouses designed by J. Riely Gordon in a Romanesque Revival idiom, the Wise County Courthouse exhibits a number of characteristics of form, such as, the use of turrets, a tower, broken massing, and fine ashlar masonry of contrasting textures. In addition, it reveals the Greek cross plan developed by Gordon with access at the four reentrants and a central stair."

"The broken massing produced by the cruciform plan lent itself readily to the stylistic vocabulary of the Romanesque Revival. Turrets and dormers mark the east and west facades. At the north and south elevations the arms of the cross are connected visually by the swinging curve of the four entry pavilions. The central tower with its bartizans, setbacks and dormers dominates the composition."

"Particularly distinctive is the fine masonry work throughout. Exterior walls were of Texas granite. The specifications called for "quality granite in two colors selected by the architect . . . laid up in pitch-faced and pean hammered alternating courses with pointed beds and joints." The main columns were of polished pink granite. Terra cotta in the friezes, turrets and dormers was used extensively. For the roof, "the best quality Bangor slate of very light blue color" was specified."