FAQ – Open House

• How many fires have taken place within the courthouse?  
  • The second courthouse was torn down due to lack of space.  The first courthouse was built in 1872 on the north east lawn and burned in 1877 (suspected arson).  The second courthouse, built in 1879, was built in the center of the square (current location).  It was torn down in 1909 due to lack of space.  The third courthouse was completed in 1910 and came with a 40K price tag.  On February 4, 2021, the third courthouse burned (arson).  The 4 exterior walls and the 8 columns were left standing.  The gutted courthouse was rebuilt and celebrated in July 2024 and it came with a 20M price tag.

• Where did the funding come from?
  • Funding came from insurance (Texas Association of Texas Risk Management Pool) Texas Historical Preservation Grant, Texas Legislature, and donation via Friends of the Mason County Courthouse.

• Where is the person who set the fire? Who is he?
  • The convicted arsonist's name is Nicholas Miller.  He grew up in Mason and now resides at a Texas Department of Corrections facility.

• What security systems are in place?
  • Two main security systems have been installed in the courthouse.  There is a fire suppression system and a security camera system, both internal and external.

• How old is the courthouse?
  • The current courthouse was built in 1910, so 114 years old.

• Fun facts about the courthouse? What are some fun findings when going through the rebuilding process?
  • Example: White hallway tile is original and markings are from the fire; footprints in the district courtroom floor; old ash was in the fireplaces; chimneys were made of stone; subway tiles in hallway are plaster; fireplaces are all metal; Marble tablets in south hallway survived the fire, etc…

• How long did the rebuild take?
  • 5 years from the beginning of demo to rededication

• Who oversaw the rebuild?
  • CPM (project manager), ArchiTexas (architects), Texas Historical Commission, and Stoddard General Construction

• How was the design determined?
  • Texas Historical Commission and ArchiTexas designed to historically accurate while considering how to meet current codes

• Who figured out the color scheme?
  • Pre-fire, as part of the discovery process for the restoration grant, ArchiTexas hired professionals to carefully scrape away layers (discovery process)

• Where have the county offices been during the rebuild?
  • Pre-fire, Judge Bearden and team worked really hard - for several years - to secure a restoration grant. In 2020, Mason County was granted 4.2 million dollars to restore the courthouse.  In preparation for the restoration, Mason County purchased the old ‘Hemphill’ building and turned it into the Mason County Courthouse Annex.  The County Judge, Justice of the Peace, County Attorney, Treasurer, and Clerk has been officing in the Annex since December 2020.  All of the records were moved out of the courthouse before the fire.  Unfortunately, the historic furniture was left in the courthouse to be restored.

• How much did the rebuild cost? How much did it cost the taxpayers?
  • The courthouse budget was $19.6 million. Funding to rebuild was secured through preservation/restoration grant, Tx Legislature, insurance, and donations to Friends of the Mason County Courthouse.  No ad valorem taxes were directly used to rebuild the courthouse.

• Is there money left over? What is the county doing with excess funding?
  • The Friends of the Mason County Courthouse and their supporters did Mason County a HUGE favor. For years to come, Mason County will be able to draw from a foundation account to help with courthouse maintenance.

• When are we going to open the time capsule? Where is it going to be buried?
  • The time capsule will be opened 100 years after it is buried (September 28, 2024). It is buried in the east flowerbed on the north side of the courthouse.