Rice Building

Price Monroe Rice, son of Rufus P. Rice, one of the first pioneer children born in Hamilton County, built this building in 1912. He attended Law School at the University of Texas and practiced law in Hamilton. P.M. Rice held various positions with both the county and city governments, including County Judge and Mayor, and contributed greatly to the city’s physical development. As Mayor in the early 1920s, he established City Lake as a reliable water supply and facilitated the installation of four miles of water mains. After his election as County Judge in 1925, he oversaw the designation and grading of the Hamilton segments of what are now U.S. Highway 281 and State Highway 36, and the current courthouse was constructed during his time in office. He owned the building until his death in 1962, after which his widow Cornelia owned it until 1965, when it was sold to Luther McGlothlin. The building had many uses, with the first floor generally occupied by retail businesses and the upstairs likely maintained as professional offices, including Rice’s law practice, before later commonly being used for storage. One of the first occupants was Little Dry Goods Company, shown in a 1917 photograph. In 2011, Rountree Appliance, a family-owned home appliance and electronics store based in Clifton, Texas, purchased the building.

Hamilton, Texas · United States