1874-1876 - Old Collin County Courthouse - McKinney, TX
Posted by: TeamBPL
N 33° 11.865 W 096° 36.916
14S E 722299 N 3675743
A pair of dated cornerstones graces the Old Collin County Courthouse located at 111 North Tennessee Street in McKinney, TX
Waymark Code: WMPB8R
Location: Texas, United States
Date Posted: 08/02/2015
Views: 6
Designed in the style of the French Second Empire, the Collin County Courthouse was considered the tallest building in Texas north of San Antonio upon its completion in early 1875. It consisted of two floors, a steep mansard roof with patterned shingles, decorative cut stone and twin towers above the roof line on the east side of the building.
The first cornerstone was dedicated for the original construction (1874-1876). This cornerstone honored the following: McKinney Police Court W. R. H. Mack, J.P. No. 1, Presiding; J. A. Astin, J.P. No. 2; C. H. Wysong, J.P. No. 3; J. C. White, J.P. No. 5. Charles Wheelock, Architect & Superintendent to May 17, 1875; John Church, Superintendent 1875-1876. O. J. King, Contractor.
The Courthouse was drastically remodeled in 1927. Floor levels were changed, a basement and third floor were added, and the entire exterior was clad in buff brick. The old roof was replaced with a new concrete roof deck behind a new parapet, and all other wood framing was likewise replaced with fireproof steel and concrete.
This renovation more than doubled the floor space in the original Courthouse, and its appearance changed to a more restrained neoclassical style.
The second cornerstone was dedicated for this remodeling in 1927. Those honored in this cornerstone was the Commissioners Court: A. M. Wolford, County Judge; J. L. Gibson, S. L. Campbell, W. M. Baker and J. R. Day, Commissioners; Sparger & Peters, Architects; A. J. Rife, Contractor.
The Old Collin County Courthouse was vacated in 1979 upon completion of the new Courthouse located on McDonald Street in McKinney. The Historic Courthouse is now the centerpiece of the Downtown McKinney Commercial Historic District and was listed in the National Register of Historic Places in 1983.
The Old Collin County Courthouse now houses the McKinney Performing Arts Center.
Year of construction: 1874
Cross-listed waymark: [Web Link]
Full inscription: Cornerstone #1:
Police Court W. R. H. Mack, J.P. No. 1, Presiding; J. A. Astin, J.P. No. 2; C. H. Wysong, J.P. No. 3; J. C. White, J.P. No. 5. Charles Wheelock, Architect & Superintendent to May 17, 1875; John Church, Superintendent 1875-1876. O. J. King, Contractor.
Cornerstone #2:
Commissioners Court: A. M. Wolford, County Judge; J. L. Gibson, S. L. Campbell, W. M. Baker and J. R. Day, Commissioners; Sparger & Peters, Architects; A. J. Rife, Contractor.
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