COUNTY COURTHOUSE RECEIVES FACELIFT AFTER CLEANING
The County Courthouse received a facelift this past week after Scotty Bell with Bell Tex Construction gave the Courthouse a much needed cleansing from the mildew that had coated the limestone.
Washington County Judge John Brieden spoke about the process that had stretched on in an effort to ensure the limestone would not be damaged when the mildew was removed.
The County even considered having the Texas Historical Commission supervise testing to ensure the chemical mixture used would not harm the historic building.
Bell performed work in other counties, and according to Brieden, had his formula approved at that time. There were tests to show that there was no damage during, or after, the application and removal of the cleanser.
The Courthouse has had a lot of the mildew removed, and thanks to Bell’s formula, will also be protected against the return of it for at least a few years.
The cleaning of the Courthouse is now complete, just in time for Juneteenth, the Summer Sip, and of course, Hot Nights, Cool Tunes!
Hi!
I love our courthouse, though I know I am in the minority. There are very few Art Deco courthouses in the state, and we are lucky to have one! The eagles were a common symbol in Art Deco architecture, on a global scale. Nazi architecture and iconography was very specific to the 1930’s, and really leaned heavily on Art Deco style. Wehrmacht, Kriegsmarine, Luftwaffe, Panzerkorps, and NSDAP eagles were stylistically similar to our courthouse eagles, but different in almost every way that matters. The courthouse eagles are just Art Deco, nothing more.
Incidentally, we are lucky to have three Art Deco buildings in Brenham:
The County Courthouse
The Brenham Bus Depot (newly restored, I would add!!)
The Old Blue Bell Creamery on Creamery Rd (if you haven’t seen it, go find it… it’s great!)
Someday, folks will see the Art Deco Courthouse as something special, something unique. It might take awhile. In the meantime, just be thankful we didn’t end up with a mid-century modern building like the courthouse in Bellville.
I’m tempted to host architecture tours around town… we’ve got some great examples here!
Old Guy, it’s not, Brenham would not have gotten away with that in WW II. Heck, we had our guns confiscated in North Texas for being German.
It used to have “Fallout Shelter ” signs posted at each out side door. I guess it must not be up to those standards anymore. I do when entering it, feels like it is a Mausoleum.
I’ve never noticed this before, but is that a German Kriegsmarine WWII Eagle on the Washington County Courthouse? If memory serves, I think the Whermacht also used that symbol.
And we still have the ugliest courthouse in all of Texas.
Common sense learn about architecture and you will appreciate the courthouse for what it is. Also, at least there is parking at the courthouse. The new proposed business area south of the square will not have parking when the businesses open. Where’s the common sense in that?
So true on ugly. What about fixing the clocks
Architecture of the courthouse is just fine. I like the Modern (Retro) Architecture Era. If you don’t like it …… make some tax donations. Maybe it will then be as pretty as the new city police station with the curved metal roof system.
Have you been to Bellville? Ours isn’t the most beautiful, but not the ugliest.
Because I am so sure you have been to ALL the courthouses in Texas