The first mention of a courthouse in the Coleman County records was at Camp Colorado. In 1871, "It is ordered by the court that Camp Colorado is appointed the county seat of Coleman County.  It is ordered that the county judge shall receive $100 per annum for his services; and the county clerk $50 per year; the sheriff $50 per year."  On page 7 of this commissioner's court records, it was ordered that "Thomas Jones be allowed $2 per day for the house rent to hold the county court in."  Page 14 said, "November 6, 1871.  Ordered that petition be made to the legislature now in session to have the seat of Coleman County permanently located as soon as possible.  And on March 27, 1876, That a contract be let our to the lowest bidder to furnish planks to make seats for the courthouse at Camp Colorado, and for a pine table, six feet long, and a drawer inside of said table, and said courthouse to be whitewashed inside with lime, six good chairs for said courthouse."  The directive went on to say, "There shall be 12 seats."  It is not known if such a courthouse ever existed, as the court record of July 22, 1876 ordered, "That the townsite of Coleman be laid out immediately on the R. J. Clow Survey No. 735, and that the courthouse square may be placed on the north tier of blocks of said plat."  J. F. Miles was county judge at that time.

One report in 1877, said that the courthouse in Coleman County consists of two posts planted upright in the ground with their tops sawed squarely off, and a puncheon nailed across the top for the judge's bench.  The jurors can accommodate themselves on the grass... when anyone commits a crime, he is tried at once, and if found guilty, he is executed as soon as caught.  Later in 1877, it was said that court was held in a box-house, originally built for a storehouse, but made a pretty good substitute.  In the early 1880's, the upper story of the building on Lot Number 1, in block 8 (this building is now (1985) occupied by the Carousel) was rented for a courthouse until contract for the construction of a courthouse was let on December 10, 1883.  At some time before this, a temporary courthouse was built on the "north" side of Coleman City (this building was thought to be where the First Coleman National Bank now stands) from rawhide elm lumber, sawed at Thrifty in Brown County by Mullins and Cross.  The courthouse served as a community center, a church, and as a home for the town's bachelors.

In November 1883, the commissioners court let the contract for building a courthouse to Smith and Butler of Austin, for the sum of $24,750.  Work was to begin within a few days.  In February 1884, the cornerstones for the County Courthouse were being prepared.  The stone was to contain the names of the county judge, the county commissioners, and the contractor.  The contractor reported that the quarry near Santa Anna Mountain was the finest in Texas for building purposes.  In 1900, a two story fireproof vault addition to the Courthouse was built.  It was built of red brick on the west side of the courthouse and connected at the second floor level by a catwalk.  This building housed the County and District Clerks offices.




In 1951 a move came about to do something about the old courthouse, which was inadequate in both size and facilities.  The proposal to build a new courthouse was popular in places, while in other corners, there was a lot of sentiment attached to the old building.  In a compromise move, the suggestion was presented to build the new courthouse around the old one.  This seemed to satisfy most people and the project gained approval. 


The old, thick rock walls of native stone were left, and they are still there in that building finished in 1952.  Wings were added to either side to give more space.  It combines the old and the new, only the new is getting old now.  In 1952 the county judge was Ira Gallaway and it is remembered that he provided strong leadership in the move for the new courthouse.  County Commissioners then were Kay Anderson, Earl Hardy, Monroe Forehand, and Pete Sneed. 



Today there are still many that remember the old courthouse and wish it had never been changed.  When we began work on this book, there was never any question in our minds what would go on the cover.