Irion County Courthouse
Public Sq., Sherwood, TXThe Old Irion County Courthouse possesses local historic and architectural significance. The building represents the early history of the county and it possesses fine architectural details.
Located in West Texas, Irion County is primarily a ranching country. The county was created from Tom Green County and organized in 1889, and named for Robert A. Irion, a doctor of medicine who practiced his profession in Nacogdoches, Texas, and who became a leader of the Republic of Texas. By 1890, the county population was 870, and in 1973 the population was only about 1,200.
The Old Irion County Courthouse is distinguished architecturally by its imposing form and attractive details, and historically by its role in the growth of West Texas. Designed and built by the firm of Martin and Moodie of Comanche, Texas, prominent West Texas contractors, the building has fine details of exterior masonry and interior wood and metal work.
The courthouse was completed in the spring of 1901 for $20,500. Two stories high, the building originally had four offices on the first floor jury rooms, and a courtroom on the second. The courthouse was used until 1936 when Irion County voted to move the county seat to Mertzon by a 453-222 margin. After it was abandoned by county officials, the courthouse was used by the Sherwood Homemakers Club until 1951, when it was bought and used by the Baptist Church. In 1966 a private owner bought the property and donated the use of it to the community of Sherwood. The annual Sherwood Homecoming has been held on the courthouse lawn in June since 1956.
Bibliography
Listed in National Register of Historic Places in 1977.
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.