Anderson County Courthouse, County courthouse in Palestine, Texas.
The Anderson County Courthouse is a three-story building with basement that stands in Neoclassical style, featuring columns and pediments on all four sides. The structure is topped by an art glass dome with a Lady Justice statue that rises above the downtown area.
The building was completed in 1914 after a fire destroyed the previous courthouse in 1913. This fourth courthouse for the county marked a new era with improved design and construction.
The Lady Justice figure crowning the dome serves as a visible symbol of law and fairness in the county. Residents and visitors alike recognize this statue as the defining mark of judicial authority in Palestine.
The courthouse stands at 1 Public Square, on the highest hill in Palestine, so it is visible from much of the surrounding downtown. Entrances are placed on all four elevations, each reached through a projecting portico with six Ionic columns. The building is three stories over a raised basement, so expect steps at the entries.
The 1913-14 courthouse replaced a brick predecessor completed in 1886 and designed by Wesley Clark Dodson of Waco, which was destroyed by arson in 1913, reportedly to destroy incriminating documents. The Austin firm of Charles Henry Page and Louis Charles Page designed the replacement, dedicated on December 20, 1914, at a cost of about $250,000.
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