The 1886 Bosque County Courthouse, designed by Ft. Worth architect J.J. Kane, is one of the oldest Texas courthouse structures in continuous use. The three-story limestone building is designed in high Victorian Gothic Revival style utilizing an Italianate off-center clock tower and corner turret roofs.
In 1934, as part of a WPA project, the design was significantly altered with the removal of the clock tower and entire roof structure, steel windows replaced wood windows, and a small one-story addition to the west facade. A flat concrete roof and cast stone parapet incorporating a single clock face completed the changes.
By the 1970s, a contemporary lowered ceiling reduced the two-story district courtroom to half its original height and lowered the ceilings in most spaces to accommodate mechanical and electrical installations.
Reconstruction of the original clock tower and the four corner roof turrets was the most dramatic change accomplished during the 2005-2007 restoration. These large elements were fabricated in Paris, Texas, trucked to Meridian, and craned into position with hundreds watching. Completing the restoration, historic reproduction wood windows and entry doors were installed; the district courtroom, halls, and public spaces were reopened to their full height; the original concrete floors rehabilitated, and wood wainscot paneling reconstructed.
The rededication celebration was held September 22, 2007.
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