Bexar County | US Courthouses

Bexar County is named for San Antonio de Bejar, the capital of Mexican Texas which was named for St. Anthony and the Duke of Bejar, who was the brother of the Spanish viceroy and who had died in 1686 defending Budapest from the Ottoman Empire.

Created: December 20, 1836

County Seat:

San Antonio 1836 – present

County Courthouse – San Antonio

Location: 100 Dolorosa Street / South Main Avenue

Built: 1891 – 1898

Style: Romanesque Revival

Architect: James Riely Gordon of San Antonio

Contractor: George Dugan, Otto R Koeger and David Hughes

Description: The building faces north and is a four story red colored sandstone and Native Texas granite structure. The building is located on landscaped grounds in the center of the city. The north front has an arched entrance on the first story. On the second story is a colonnaded porch with a rounded short tower on either side. On the northwest corner is a square tower with open top and steep green colored roof. On the northeast corner is a square tower with an octagonal top and conical dome of red colored sandstone. The base of the building is course white colored stone. Between 1914 to 1915, a five-story addition was built onto the south side entrance. The architect was Leo M J Dielmann and Chalres T Boelhauwe and the contractor was H N Jones Construction Company. In 1926 to 1928, the building was renovated. Additions were constructed in 1963 and 1972. The architect was Edward R. Gondeck. The exterior was restored in 2003 and 2015. The architect was Almo Architect and the contractor was Joeris General Contractor.

See: The architect James Riely Gordon of San Antonio, Texas

Note: The first courthouse in 1837 was the Casas Reales an adobe structure built in 1749 and reconstructed in 1779 and 1783. The second courthouse was a two story structure built by Thomas Whitehead in 1850. The third courthouse was the remodeled Masonic Building in 1882. The architect was Alfred Giles and the contractor was D C Anderson. In 1888, the Meny Building was purchased. The fourth and present courthouse was constructed at a cost of $621,000. The courthouse is the largest and oldest continuously operated historic courthouse in Texas.

County Justice Center – San Antonio

Location: 300 Dolorosa Street / South Main Avenue

Built: 1988 – 1989

Style: Modren

Architect: Ford, Powell & Carson Inc., Joneskell Architects Inc. and Saldana & Associates

Contractor: Gilbane Building Company

Description: The building faces north and is a five story concrete and glass structure. The building is located in the center of the city on the west side of the courthouse. The north front has a projecting center section with large arch on the first story. The section rises to a balcony on the fourth story. There is a circular overhang above at the roof line. The fifth story is recessed. The roof line is flat. The building houses the Fourth Court of Appeals.

County Administration – San Antonio

Location: 101 West Nuva Street / Flores Street

Built: 2007 – 2010

Style: Modren

Architect: Kell Munoz Architects and Saldana & Associates Architects

Contractor: Zachry Construction Corporation

Description: The building faces west and is a ten story red colored brick and concrete structure. The building is located in the center of the city on the west side of the courthouse. The building is rectangular with square windows. The first story has red colored brick pillars with recessed glass walls. The 10th story has vertical windows with extended flat roof line. .The building is named as the Paul Elizondo Tower.

Courthouses:

N – Kendall County and Comal County

E – Guadalupe County and Wilson County

S – Atascosa County

W – Medina County and Bandera County