Nueces County Courthouse
historic place
The Nueces County Courthouse in Corpus Christi has a history rooted in the county's early needs. In 1853, the first county courthouse was constructed on this block due to lawlessness in Nueces County. Three lots were acquired for $300 from Corpus Christi founder, Henry Lawrence Kinney. A second courthouse was built in the mid-1870s, adjacent to the first. The neo-classical structure you see today was completed in 1914. This project, costing $250,000, was overseen by County Judge Walter F. Timon. Harvey L. Page, an architect from Washington, D.C., designed the building. His other works include the International and Great Northern Railroad station in San Antonio. The courthouse featured courtrooms and offices on its first four floors. The top two floors served as the jail, separated by an air space to reduce noise. Until the 1950s, apartments were also provided for county officials. During severe storms that impacted the city, this courthouse offered shelter to hundreds of refugees. Additions were made to the building in the 1930s and again in the 1960s. In 1977, county offices relocated to a new courthouse building. A historical marker was erected here in 1976 to commemorate this significant structure. The Nueces County Courthouse stands as a record of the county's civic development and and its role in community safety.