88R22026 AMB-D
By: Price H.R. No. 985
R E S O L U T I O N
WHEREAS, Proud area residents are marking the 100th
anniversary of the Sherman County Courthouse with a special
centennial celebration on April 18, 2023; and
WHEREAS, Sherman County is located in the High Plains region
of the northern Panhandle on the Oklahoma border, and it extends
across 923 square miles of nearly level land covered in prairie
grasses, sagebrush, and yucca; named after Sidney Sherman, a
veteran of the Texas Revolution, the county was established by the
Texas Legislature in 1876 from lands formerly assigned to Bexar
County, and it was attached to Oldham County for administrative
purposes until 1889, when it was officially organized; and
WHEREAS, The town of Coldwater was designated as the county
seat in 1890, and later that year, a one-story stone courthouse was
built in the small settlement to serve the county's 34 residents;
the county seat was subsequently moved to Stratford, which is
located 80 miles north of Amarillo in the northwestern part of the
county; a two-story frame courthouse was erected there in 1901;
that structure was destroyed by a fire in 1922, and plans were soon
underway for the present-day facility; the Amarillo-based
architectural firm of Parker & Rittenberry was chosen to design the
new building, and under the leadership of contractor J. W.
Mordecai, construction was completed in 1923; and
WHEREAS, The three-story concrete and brick courthouse is a
fine example of classical revival style, featuring raised
basements, symmetrical facades, and ionic columns; the exterior is
composed of running bond brick and cast stone detailing; in 2008,
the building was recognized by the Texas Historical Commission as a
Recorded Texas Historic Landmark; the centennial celebration on
April 18 is taking place on the courthouse lawn, and it will include
speakers, flag presentations, and performances by Stratford and
Texhoma students; and
WHEREAS, Nearing the county seat of Stratford, a sign
proclaims, "The Home of God, Grass, and Grit," reflecting the
strength and determination of Sherman County's citizens, who have
suffered many storms and droughts over the years, including the
Dust Bowl of the 1930s; today, nothing remains of Coldwater, the
original county seat, except for a tiny cemetery; according to the
2020 U.S. census, the county is home to nearly 3,000 residents;
notable communities include Stratford as well as Texhoma, which
straddles the Texas-Oklahoma border; the area's soils are dark and
loamy, with clayey subsoils that are rich in hardened calcium
deposits, and the county's economy is primarily agriculturally
based; many of its residents grow crops and raise livestock that
help feed our nation and the world; and
WHEREAS, For more than a century, the Sherman County
Courthouse has stood as a symbol of the resilience of the people of
Sherman County, and it is a pleasure to join in celebrating the
important role it has played in the community; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 88th Texas
Legislature hereby commemorate the 100th anniversary of the Sherman
County Courthouse and commend all those associated with the
centennial celebrations for their noteworthy efforts.