Courthouse History

Hill County was organized on May 14, 1853, and the courthouse square near the county's geographic center has been the site of five courthouse buildings. The present courthouse was completed in 1890, with a bell cast by the McShane Bell Factory of Baltimore, MD, weighing 1,525 pounds, and a clock made by the E. Howard Watch and Clock Company of Boston, MA; both were added to the tower in 1891. The bell marked the hours for 102 years until its supports were consumed by fire on January 1, 1993. At 6:35 p.m. that day, the first alarm reported a fire at the Hill County Courthouse, and Hillsboro firefighters arrived to find a third-floor office engulfed in flames. Within minutes, the fire spread to the bell tower, and as county citizens gathered around the square and others watched on television, the 70-foot tower collapsed in flames. The next morning, the rim of the bell was visible through the ceiling of the first-floor hallway. Fifteen Hill County fire departments, along with firefighters from other counties, battled the fire throughout the night, and the official cause was electrical. Discussion of restoring the 1890 structure began before the final hot spots were extinguished. Architects with the Texas Historical Commission determined that the building was restorable, and on January 11, 1993, the Hill County Historical Commission called a county-wide meeting to organize the restoration effort. Local fundraising projects, including two concerts on the square by Hill County native Willie Nelson, and grants contributed to the restoration, which was also aided by insurance proceeds, Texas Department of Transportation ISTEA funds, and Certificates of Obligation issued by the county. Architexas of Dallas oversaw the restoration, with Bryan Construction Company and R.J. King Construction as contractors. The restored building was dedicated on April 24, 1999, with Texas Governor George W. Bush as keynote speaker.

Hillsboro, Texas · United States