(Former) Kent County Courthouse - Clairmont, TX
Posted by: 
WalksfarTX
N 33° 10.003 W 100° 45.232
14S E 336460 N 3671138
Remnant of the first courthouse for Kent County.
Waymark Code: WM15YRP
Location: Texas, United States
Date Posted: 03/25/2022
Views: 0
Texas Escapes"Clairemont was the county seat in 1892 when Kent County was organized. A red sandstone courthouse and jail were constructed three years later.
The population, like most of West Texas, had always been slight. The 30s and 40s had about 150 people calling the town home. It had doubled by the 1950s. As the county seat, and with five businesses thriving, Claiemont’s future looked bright.
But water was scarce and oil companies moved to richer fields. Then came a lengthy court battle over an election where Jayton (who had more water) became county seat in 1954.
The courthouse burned shortly after the county records were moved. To add insult to injury, a school consolidation finished the town for good. Without the county offices and the school, there was nothing for the town to do but head directly toward ghost town status.
The Courthouse burned on April 12, 1955, at about 9:00pm - 9:30pm.
The second floor was destroyed by the fire."