Governor Oscar B. Colquitt signed legislation creating Jim Wells County on March 11, 1911. Formed from territory formerly part of Nueces County, it was named for prominent Brownsville attorney and business leader James B. Wells, Jr. The first county elections were held two months later, and in January 1912 citizens approved a bond election to finance construction of a courthouse and jail. County commissioners hired San Antonio architect Atlee B. Ayers to design the courthouse, and the laying of the cornerstone on July 25, 1912, drew a crowd of more than 2,000 people for performances by the Alice Concert Band and the Alice Symphony Club, as well as a barbecue, rodeo events, and a baseball game. The discovery of oil in Jim Wells County in 1938 led to increased economic development and a population boom. The courthouse was remodeled in 1948-1949, and annexes were later built nearby. Although its original appearance has been altered, the Jim Wells County Courthouse remains a significant structure in the county's history and continues to serve as the center of county government.