Galveston County is named for Bernardo de Galver, who was a Spanish governor of the Louisiana Territory and an ally of the United States during the American Revolution.
Surrounding County Courthouses:
N – Harris County
E – Chambers County and Gulf of Mexico
S – Gulf of Mexico
W – Brazoria County
Created: May15, 1838
County Seat:
Galveston 1839 – present
Old County Courthouse – Galveston
Location: 722 Moody ( 21st ) Street / Avenue G
Built: 1965 – 1966
Style: Moderne
Architect: Raymond R Rap, Jr and Ben J Koten & Associates
Contractor: W R Grimshaw Construction Company, Inc.
Description: The building faces west and is a six story concrete and glass structure. The building is located on landscaped grounds in the center of Galveston. On the west side of the building is a treed plaza. The first story has a wide brown colored band of concrete supported by concrete pillars. The upper stories have a concrete lattice over the recessed windows. The roof line is flat.
History: The county was created in 1838 and Galveston was selected as the county seat. The first courthouse was built in 1838. The second courthouse as built in 1857. The third courthouse was a three story stone structure designed by Eugene Thomas Heiner in 1882. The fourth courthouse was a three story stone structure designed by Nicholas Joseph Clayton in 1892. The fifth courthouse was a four story structure was designed by Messer, Sanquinet & Messer and constructed by James T Taylor in 1898 and was partially destroyed by a hurricane in 1900. The sixth and present courthouse was constructed at a cost of $2,529,000.
County Justice Center – Galveston

Location: 600 59th Street / Avenue J ( Broadway )
Built: 2005 – 2006
Style: Modern
Architect: Bay Architects
Contractor: Kelso / Gilbane (J W Kelso Construction / Gilbane Building Company)
Description: The building faces south and is a five story concrete, brick glass and metal structure. The building is located on landscaped grounds on the west side of the center of Galveston. The center section has a round tower with reflective glass on the upper stories. The wings also have reflective glass with square brick towers at the corners. The roof line is flat.
Note: The cost of construction was $92,000,000.

County Courthouse – Galveston









County Justice Center – Galveston






Photos taken 2014