H.R. No. 68
R E S O L U T I O N
WHEREAS, Proud residents of Comal County are gathering in New
Braunfels on January 22, 2013, to celebrate the rededication of
their historic and newly renovated courthouse; and
WHEREAS, The county's original courthouse was built in 1860,
but it had fallen into disrepair by 1897, when the county commission
hired James Riely Gordon to design a new one; a celebrated architect
of many Texas public buildings, Mr. Gordon crafted a courthouse in
the Romanesque style with rounded pavilion entrances at the four
corners as well as a central atrium for ventilation during the Texas
summers; and
WHEREAS, The cornerstone was laid in May 1898 containing,
among many other items, a copy of a Galveston newspaper, a history
of Comal County, a dance card, and beer bottle labels from the city
brewery; constructed of locally quarried limestone, the courthouse
was dedicated on January 22, 1899, with a ceremony featuring
performances by Schulz's Orchestra and the New Braunfels Men's
Singing Society; and
WHEREAS, In 1931, a three-story jail and an extension of the
district courtroom designed by local architect Jeremiah Schmidt
were attached to the building, and in 1951, Mr. Schmidt designed a
further addition, a vault for the county clerk's records; the
courthouse was remodeled and rewired in 1966, when air-conditioning
and an elevator were installed, and there were further renovations
in 1987; and
WHEREAS, Under the leadership of the Comal County
Commissioners Court, the current $8.6 million restoration project
began in the summer of 2011, when the 1931 and 1951 additions were
removed; the project's architects, Volz & Associates, along with
the Texas Historical Commission and RBR Construction, worked for
the next year and a half to restore the courthouse to its original
appearance while modernizing its electrical, communications,
plumbing, and air-conditioning systems; and
WHEREAS, Some original fixtures were returned to the
building, including an arch-top entrance window that had been
hanging in a local restaurant since 1977, as well as the original
judge's bench; 60 pieces of historic furniture were also returned
to the courthouse, and former fixtures that could not be located
were replicated, including a massive spiral staircase and 164
theater-style seats for the commissioners courtroom and the
first-floor meeting room; and
WHEREAS, For more than a century, the Comal County Courthouse
has served not only as the seat of government, but as a record in
stone of the county's rich history and a monument to its people's
German heritage, and it is indeed a privilege to take special notice
of the rebirth of this splendid building; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 83rd Texas
Legislature hereby commemorate the restoration and rededication of
the Comal County Courthouse and commend all those involved in the
project for their skill, commitment, and hard work; and, be it
further
RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be
prepared for the citizens of Comal County as an expression of high
regard by the Texas House of Representatives.
Miller of Comal
______________________________
Speaker of the House
I certify that H.R. No. 68 was adopted by the House on
February 18, 2013, by a non-record vote.
______________________________
Chief Clerk of the House