McLennan County | US Courthouses

McLennan County is named for Neil McLennan, who was an early settler.

Created: January 22, 1850

County Seat:

Waco 1850 – present

County Courthouse – Waco

Location: 501 Washington Avenue / North 6th Street

Built: 1901 – 1902

Style: Beaux Arts

Architect: James Riely Gordon of San Antonio

Contractor: Tom Lovell of Denton

Description: The building faces southeast and is a three story native limestone, red colored granite and stone structure. The building is located on landscaped grounds in the center of the city. The southeast front has a projecting center section with high stair to a porch supported by four columns rising to a header with the third story above with pediment. On the center of the roof is a large white colored octagonal dome with the statue of Themis, the Greek personification of Justice at the top and eagles around the bottom of the curved dome. The dome was inspired by St. Peters Basilica in Rome. The building houses the Tenth Court of Appeals.

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

See: The contractor, Tom Lovell of Denton, also constructed courthouses in Brazonia County, Brewster County, Coryell County,Denton County, Hamilton County, Hardeman County, Hill County and Runnels County.

Note: The first courthouse was a log cabin built by John S Blair in Waco in 1851. The second courthouse was a brick structure built by Robert H Smith and N M Saunders in 1857 at a cost of $11,000. The third courthouse was a brick structure designed by Wesley Clarke Dodson and constructed by Trice & Harris and J W Mann & Brothers in 1877 at a cost of $24,894. The fourth and present courthouse was constructed at a cost of $100,000.

County Courthouse Annex– Waco

Location: 225 North 6th Street / Washington Avenue

Built: 1951 – 1952

Style: Art Deco

Architect: Walter Cocke, Jr. and Harvey L Spicer

Contractor: McClellan-Brown- McClellan.

Description: The building faces southwest and is a four story buff colored brick and concrete structure. The building is located on landscaped grounds in the center of the city. The southwest front has a stone framed central entrance with five rectangular openings. The building is connected by a passageway to the courthouse on the east side. The roof line is flat.

County Records Building – Waco

Location: 215 North 5th Street / Washington Avenue

Built: 1986 – 1988

Style: Modern

Architect: Dudley Bailey Jezeb & Rose Inc.

Contractor: R E Hable Company.

Description: The building faces southwest and is a two story buff and brown colored concrete structure. The southeast corner has framed entrances with recessed glass walls. The roof overhangs and is supported by a pillar. The windows are horizontal and the roof line is flat.

Courthouses:

N – Bosque County and Hill County

E – Limestone County

S – Falls County and Bell County

W – Coryell County