SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 430
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 Senate of the State of Texas, 83rd
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 Senate.
Campbell
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President of the Senate
I hereby certify that the
above Resolution was adopted by
the Senate on March 11, 2013.
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Secretary of the Senate
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Member, Texas Senate