Hudspeth County Courthouse
Millican St., Sierra Blanca, TXThe Hudspeth County Courthouse is important in Texas as the only surviving adobe courthouse in the state that has been in continual use from the date of construction to the present time. The building is believed to be the largest adobe structure in the state, as well.
Adobe brick was formerly an important indigenous construction material in the southwestern United States. Its present-day use, however, is limited to a few private structures. Almost certainly, no public buildings have been constructed of this material for many years, and Hudspeth County Courthouse may represent one of the best examples of adobe construction in public buildings that are still in everyday use. The 18-inch wall thickness provides good thermal and acoustical insulation. High ceilings are typical of buildings designed for hot summer weather without modern air conditioning.
The architect, Bradford Hardie of El Paso, also designed a two-story adobe store and office building during the same period on Sierra Blanca's main street. Hardie's architectural efforts, however, were not limited to Sierra Blanca as he also designed several El Paso schools, homes, and apartment buildings. Later, Hardie was the company architect for El Paso Natural Gas Company until his retirement in 1960.
Bibliography
Coursey, Clark, Courthouses of Texas, Brownwood, Texas: Banner Printing Company, 1962.
Listed in National Register of Historic Places in 1975.
The National Register of Historic Places is the official list of the Nation’s historic places worthy of preservation. Authorized by the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966, the National Park Service’s National Register of Historic Places is part of a national program to coordinate and support public and private efforts to identify, evaluate, and protect America’s historic and archeological resources.