Childress County is named for George Campbell Childress, who was one of the authors of the Texas Declaration of Independence.
Surrounding County Courthouses:
E – Harmon County, Oklahoma and Hardeman County
S – Cottle County
W – Hall County
Created: August 21, 1876
County Seat:
Childress City 1887
Childress ( Henry ) 1887 – present
County Courthouse – Childress
Location: 100 Avenue East NW / Avenue F NE
Built: 1938 – 1939
Style: Art Deco and Moderne
Architect: Townes & Funk of Amarillo
Contractor: C S Lambie & Company
Description: The building faces southwest and is a four story limestone and concrete structure. The building is located on landscaped grounds in the center of Childress. The southwest front has a recessed two story center section with four fluted columns and recessed entrance on the first story. Each corner has a projecting section rising three stories. The center of the building rises to four stories with the jail located on the fourth story. The roof line is flat. In the interior, the courtroom is located on the third story and the Commissioner’s Courtroom is located on the second story. The building houses the State District Court, Constitutional County Court and County Justice Court. The building was a Public Works Administration project. On the northeast corner of the grounds is the old County Jail built in 1905. Also on the grounds are the corner stones from the previous courthouse.
See: The architect, William C Townes of Amarillo also designed the courthouses in Briscoe County, Castro County, Hansford County, Hutchinson County, Parmer County, Potter County and Ward County, and in New Mexico in Colfax County and Quay County.
See: The contractor, C S Lambie & Company, also constructed courthouses in New Mexico in Quaty County, Roosevelt County and Sierra County and in Texas in Gregg County, Hutchinson County, Moore County, Potter County and Ward County.
History: The county was created in 1876 and Childress City was selected as the county seat in 1887 when the county was organized. The county seat was moved in the same year to Henry which became Childress. The first courthouse was a wood structure built in 1887. The second courthouse was a brick structure designed by William Douglas and constructed by B T Williams in 1890 to 1891 at a cost of $20,200. The building burned on October 21, 1891 and was rebuilt in 1891 to 1892 according to the original plans by Lovell, Miller and Hood as contractor. The third and present courthouse was constructed in 1938 to 1939 at a cost of $250,000.

County Courthouse - Childress











Old County Jail

Cornerstone 1890 County Courthouse

Cornerstone 1890 County Courthouse

Cornerstone 1891 County Courthouse
Photos taken 2014