Kendall County Courthouse

Built in 1870 in Romanesque Revival architectual style by architect Philip Zoeller and S.F. Stendeback 1870-Charles Buckel 1886 - Alfred Giles 1909 by contractor S.F. Stendeback.

The original section of the present Kendall County Courthouse was designed by S. F. Stendeback. It was a simple one-story building, two bays deep and four bays wide. Similar to many early courthouses constructed in Texas, it was designed in a straightforward, functional manner. In 1885, the County Commissioner's Court authorized the addition of a second story with a "gallery." Charles Buckel drew the plans which incorporated stone walls with flush masonry joints accented by corner quoining and cut stone lintels that spanned the openings. The cornice was developed with simple moldings and accented with brackets. On the south, or main, facade, a two-story porch was added. Over the main section of the building, above the entrance, a mansard roof with delicate cast iron cresting was constructed. In 1909, it was determined that the courthouse should be expanded again. Alfred Giles, a San Antonio architect, was commissioned to draw the plans. The design of the new addition, like the previous expansion, reflected the stylistic trends of the period in Texas. The semi-circular arches of the Romanesque Revival style appeared on many Texas buildings of the 1890s and early years of the twentieth century. In the 1909 addition to the Kendall County Courthouse, these features distinguish the entrance, as well as the walls above the upper cut stone stringcourse. Stone, similar to that in the original walls, was employed in the addition and visually unified the works. However, the new architectural forms contrast with the original building. In the addition, the rough texture of the quarry-faced ashlar stonework contrasts with the smooth surfaces of the earlier part. Sophistication of craftsmanship is apparent in the wide cut-stone string courses and rectangular columns. Contrasting rough and smooth stones form a balustrade over the entrance. The addition distinguishes the south access as the prominent entrance by emphasizing it with a triple-arched arcade, rising above the stone-surfaced porch. Flanking either side are octagonal pavilions. A parapet on which the date of construction is cut rises above the porch. The octagonal wings are surmounted by tripped roofs with standing seam sheet metal roofing. Due to remodeling and additions, the plan of the courthouse is irregular. A central hall with several offsets and a stairway extends through the building, north to south. The courtroom is located in the original section of the second floor, while the addition houses offices.

-1886: Charles Buckel designed the second floor addition
-1909-1910: Alfred Giles designed current facade
-1954: Courthouse interior remodeled.
- ISTEA Grant- exterior restoration of old courthouse (stone repair, replacement, cleaning)

Current status: Active Courthouse