Dr. Mavis P. Kelsey Sr. M.D.The Courthouses of Texas

I love to check out the courthouse in each town we drive through, and this book is a perfect reference to keep in the car for information about them. We have so many beautiful old courthouses in our great state, and it is wonderful to have their information at my fingertips.

I love my copy of this book and driving around Texas to see how many County Courthouses I can mark off the book's map of ALL the Texas Courthouses. Wonderful book in so many ways. I bought this second copy to give to a friend who is starting his own state wide adventure.

How does one adequately and fairly treat each and every courthouse in a state with 254 counties in a single book? This was the task which faced Dr. Kelsey and which, in my opinion, he succeeded magnificently. Each courthouse is accorded a clear photograph and primary information, including some additional information about the county and the county seat. These descriptions are followed by various appendices which supplement the information in a most helpful manner. In addition there is an excellent bibliography. As a non-Texan my store of this form of trivia has proven invaluable as, for example, when over the past weekend I amazed a distant relative at a family gathering who now lives in Waxahatchie, Texas. I not only was able to tell him that I knew where Waxahatchie is, but also several pertinent facts about the Ellis County courthouse designed by the noted Texas architect. J. Gordon Reilly.

We LOVE Texas and we love to drive all over Texas - so Mich beauty all around. We stopped in one of the many gorgeous historic courthouses and found an earlier edition of a similar book. We were amazed at all of the wonderful old courthouses and decided to buy a similar book to help us decide on future drive destinations. It was rather disappointing to see the circa 1970's courthouses included, we would have preferred an image only to the more historic courthouses. The text is interesting and the photos are well done.

I would have liked to have seen pictures of those torn down in the last50-60 years as well as the ones that replaced them. Some of the late 1800s courthouses have have been restored to original appearance since this was published,but the book is really good for its date.

My wife purchased this for me since I love to photograph the older courthouses around the state and we wanted to plan day trips and weekends to visit as many as we could.The book does dedicate a page to each of the county courthouses and includes an acceptable photograph but that's about it. Most descriptions are very short (year built, architectural style, location, and who it was named for) and lack terribly in detail and interest. The book reads more like a collection of part descriptions and while it does include an image of each they certainly don't capture their beauty from 100 - 300 yards away. These are the homes of our states justice system and in some cases are beautiful examples of true craftsmanship you can't find anymore today. I would hope for at least three shots, two exterior views and one inside to showcase the wood and tile work. Maybe they could have included some interesting facts of the courts years of service, the barristers, or an interesting case tried there.If you're looking for a check list this is the book for you but if you want more I think you will be disappointed.The seller did do a very good job in getting my purchase to me and this has no reflection on them.

This book stays in my car so I can check off each of the 254 as I visit them. Having the address or intersection listed has been very helpful because some of the courthouses are not on the town square and are not easy to find. I only gave 4 stars because many of the pictures are outdated. So many of the great Texas courthouses have gone through extensive restoration and look so much better than the pictures included in this book. Some are not recognizable from the photos provided because non-historic wings have been demolished and damaged towers have been built back.

Handy little book (will fit nicely by the maps in your car) gives details on all 254 Texas Courthouses. As a Texas traveler, I often stop for a break in town squares and enjoy walking around, but found myself wanting to know more than what might be on a marker. This book will take you beyond that. You will learn the buildings' styles, when they were built, how counties are named as well as many more facinating facts. There is a color photograph of each courthouse. Some are modern, some or not. Some are big and some are not. Some have been rebuilt because of fires, some have had additions; all are interestins in their own way. My copy really does ride along with me on my Texas travels and is my very informative companion.  The Courthouses of Texas: A Guide