Hemphill County is named for John Hemphill, a judge and Confederate congressman.
Surrounding County Courthouses:
N – Lipscomb County
E – Ellis County, Oklahoma and Roger Mills County, Oklahoma
S – Wheeler County
W – Roberts County
Created: August 21, 1876
County Seat:
Canadian 1887 – present
County Courthouse – Canadian
Location: 400 Main Street / South 5th Street
Built: 1907 – 1908
Style: Italianate
Architect: Robert George Kirsch Company of Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Contractor: Gillcoat & Skinner
Description: The building faces north and is a two story dark red colored brick and concrete structure. The building sits on the slope of a hill on landscaped grounds in the center of Canadian. The building’s red colored brick is also accented by corbelling on the lower floors and by white colored limestone around the windows. There are keystones over the top floor windows. The north front has square red colored brick tower with round window at the top and a square white colored base with rounded white colored dome. Above the entrance is a keystone and a small ornamental balcony. The courtroom is located on the second story. The building houses the State District Court and the Constitutional County Court. On the south side is the old red colored brick jail built in 1890. The building was renovated in 2011 to 2014.
See: The architect, Robert Geoege Kirsch designed courthouses in Missouri in Adair County, Carroll County, Cooper County, Polk County and Vernon County, in Texas in Randall County, and in Wisconsin in Oconto County and Waukesha County.
History: The county was created in 1876 and Canadian was selected as the county seat in 1887 when the county was organized. The first courthouse was built in 1887. The second and present courthouse was constructed in 1908 to 1909 at a cost of $31,278.

County Courthouse – Canadian














Commissioners Room



Old County Jail – Canadian



Photos taken 2007 and 2016