McLennan County Courthouse
historic place
The McLennan County Courthouse in Waco, Texas, is a historic place completed in 1902. This building is the fourth purpose-built courthouse for McLennan County, which was organized in 1850. The county's first courthouse, a two-story log cabin, was completed in 1852. Subsequent courthouses were built in 1858 and 1877, with the latter proving too small by the 1890s. Architect James Riely Gordon designed the current courthouse. Its Renaissance Revival design uses steel, limestone, concrete, marble, and Texas red granite. The building features Corinthian pilasters, columns, and a dome topped by a statue of Themis, the Greek goddess of divine order. This courthouse has hosted notable events, including the 1930 trial of Clyde Barrow and the first live televised murder trial in the U.S. in 1955. It remains a significant center of justice for McLennan County.