Blanco County Courthouse
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Visitor Center (Blanco County Courthouse)
1885, F. E. Ruffini. Main St. at 3rd St.
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(Photograph by Gerald Moorhead )
One of a number of more or less identical Texas courthouse designs by Frederick E. Ruffini, the courthouse is a rather simplified Second Empire design. Prior to this courthouse, he designed courthouses for Rusk County (1879) in Henderson, Navarro County (1881) in Corsicana, Hays County (1882) in San Marcos, and Williamson County (c. 1882) in Georgetown, none of which still stand. In 1885–1886, in collaboration with his brother Oscar, he designed Concho County Courthouse in Paint Rock. As is always the case with the work of the Ruffinis, the limestone facades are simply and effectively detailed with smooth-faced quoins and window surrounds contrasting with rock-faced walls. The interior of the courthouse has survived with few changes. The fine courtroom on the second floor has its original painted wooden ceiling and an over-scaled wood cove around the walls.
Writing Credits
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Data
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Location: Blanco, TexasRegional Overviews:Architect:Styles:Materials:
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Citation
Gerald Moorhead et al., "Visitor Center (Blanco County Courthouse)", [Blanco, Texas], SAH Archipedia, eds. Gabrielle Esperdy and Karen Kingsley, Charlottesville: UVaP, 2012—, http://sah-archipedia.org/buildings/TX-01-BT13.
Print Source
Buildings of Texas: Central, South, and Gulf Coast, Gerald Moorhead and contributors. Charlottesville: University of Virginia Press, 2013, 102-102.
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