The Texas Legislature created Throckmorton County, named for pioneer doctor William E. Throckmorton, in 1858, with organization delayed until 1879. F.E. Conrad donated land for the town square and built a frame courthouse on this site. The firm of Martin, Byrne and Johnson designed this 1890-93 courthouse, which was built by J.L. Dewees and Jacob Rath. The two-story Italianate-style building features polychromatic walls of quarried sandstone, quoins, pilasters, horizontal bands, arched doors and windows, and a mansard roof with brackets, pediments, and a square cupola. A matching annex was built in 1938.