Dallas County Courthouse
historic place
The Dallas County Courthouse, known as Old Red, is a historic place in Dallas, Texas. The site was designated public land in John Neely Bryan's 1844 city plat. Several earlier courthouses on this location were lost to fire. The current Old Red Courthouse, the fifth county seat building, began construction in 1890 and was completed in 1892. Architect M. A. Orlopp designed it in the Romanesque Revival style. The building features blue granite on the lower floor and red sandstone on the upper stories, with eight circular turrets. Its original clock tower and bell were removed in 1919. A new courthouse was built in 1965. Old Red was renovated in 1968 and became a Recorded Texas Historic Landmark in 1977. This building represents a significant architectural and governmental landmark for Dallas County.