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 four 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.
Other Courthouses / Court of Appeals
Waco ( Tenth Court of Appeals )
Courthouses:
N – Bosque County and Hill County
E – Limestone County
S – Falls County and Bell County
W – Coryell County

County Courthouse









District Court








County Court





Commissioner Room





County Courthouse Annex




County Records Building


Photos taken 2009 and 2017