Kaufman County | US Courthouses

Kaufman County is named for David Spangler Kaufman, who was a Jewish Texas state senator and the first Jewish member of the United States House of Representatives.

Created: February 26, 1848

County Seat:

Kaufman 1848 – present

County Courthouse – Kaufman

Location: 100 West Mulberry Street / North Washington Street

Built: 1955 – 1956

Style: Modern

Architect: Wyatt C Hedrick of Fort Worth ( A Warren, Morey and McGill of Dallas )

Contractor: Lee-Emmert Contractors

Description: The building faces south and is a two story buff colored brick, steel, aluminum and black colored marble structure. The building is located on landscaped grounds in the center of the city. The south front has a large recessed center section with green-blue wall paneling. The east and west wings extend forming a courtyard. The roof line is flat.

See: The architect, Wyatt C Hedrick of Fort Worth also designed courthouses in Austin County, Brazoria County, Coke County, Comanche County, Kent County, Motley County and Yoakum County.

Note: The first building used as a courthouse in 1851 was renovated by G R Paschal. The first courthouse was built by Hugh Yarbrough of Tyler in 1861. The second courthouse was built by James Brown from 1870 to 1872. The third courthouse was designed by Wesley Charles Dodson of Waco and constructed by Aubrey, Solon and Laude in 1887 for a cost of $69,569. The cost of construction of the present courthouse was $526,210,000 after the low bid of Lee-Emmert of $542,510,000 was reduced by agreement.

Courthouses:

N – Rockwall County and Hunt County

E – Van Zandt County

S – Henderson County

W – Ellis County and Dallas County