John B. Denton
Born in Tennessee July 26, 1806, came to Texas in January,
1836. As a Methodist circuit rider killed in the Village Creek Indian fight
May 24, 1841 in what is now Tarrant County. Named for Gen. Edward H. Tarrant
who commanded the volunteers. Denton city and county were named for the
pioneer lawyer, preacher, soldier of that name. |
The City of Denton
Pioneers settled this locality in the 1840's. In 1846 the
Texas Legislature created Denton county -- one of several carved from the
Peters Colony grant. After trying other sites, the voters in 1856 accepted
for county seat this tract donated by Hiram Cisco, William Loving, and
William Woodruff. The city and county were named for John B. Denton
(1806-41), a minister killed while defending frontier settlers. Woodruff,
fellow surveyor C. C. Lacy, and attorney Otis Welch platted the townsite. In
1857 city lots were auctioned, the post office opened, and a church was
founded. J. M. Blount, Joseph A. Carroll, W. F. Egan, and I. D. Ferguson
were pioneer leaders. A cotton gin and plants for making bricks, corn meal,
flour and ice soon developed. The "Monitor," a newspaper, began its career
in 1868. Sam Bass (1851-78), legendary western outlaw, trained and raced
"The Denton Mare" while living and working as a local farm hand. North Texas
State University originated here as Texas Normal College in 1890, and Texas
Woman's University opened in 1903 as the College of Industrial Arts.
Agriculture-related businesses, education, and small factories sustain the
economy. The city grew from 1,194 in its first census (1880) to 39,874 by
1970. (1977) |
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the Denton County Courthouse in Denton, architect W.C. Dodson, a prominent
figure in Central Texas architecture, modified the traditional cross-axial
plan to allow the erection of a high central masonry tower. In the three
story structure, the large central spaces including the courtroom were
placed on either side of a single main corridor, allowing the supporting
walls for the tower to pass through the center of the structure.
A corridor running east-west provides the main circulation space. On either
end is a large stair prefabricated from cast iron components. As is typical
of Texas courthouses, offices of the county clerk, tax assessor, and tax
collector are located on the ground floor while the large district courtroom
and offices of the district clerk and judge's chambers are situated on the
second floor. The third floor contains additional offices. Handsome
materials were used on the interior. A paneled wainscot adds to the richness
of the corridors and stairways. This paneling along with the doors and door
openings are finished with oil, highlighting the natural beauty of the wood.
Centered in the public square atop an eminence, the Denton County Courthouse
is comprised of a group of imposing masses. Each facade consists of a five
part composition with a projecting pavilion emphasizing the entrance. Each
entrance pavilion is enriched by a Roman- arched opening, two ranges of
columns and a triangular pediment. At each corner is a series of balconies
surmounted by a tower with an ogival roof.
The dominant feature of the composition is the central octagonal tower
rising above a broad platform with four ancillary domes, a composition which
was most certainly inspired by the dome of the Cathedral, Florence Italy
(1296). Two columns support the cornice over an observation platform in the
tower base and a railing is formed with masonry units.
Openings are spanned with stone lintel s
throughout, except at the entrances and the corner towers. The tower
openings are spanned by Roman arches. Each entrance is emphasized by a Roman
arch flanked by rectangular openings resulting in a composition of voids
recalling the Palladian motif. Above the entrance columns bearing on
pedestals support balconies with stone rails.
Masonry of harmonizing hues produces an impressive facade. The walls were
tan quarry-faced sandstone in ashlar pattern and the column capitals were
carved in a basket weave motif in red stone from the Ganzer quarry. The
voussoirs, water table, string courses, and lintels are of cut sandstone in
light brown color. The column shafts were of pink granite from Burnet. These
columns, eighty in number, were fabricated in Fort Worth and were among the
first to be finished with electric equipment. They were employed in the
pedimented century pavilions at each facade and in balcony features at each
corner.
Other decorative features contribute a subtle additional richness to the
exterior. Stone carvings ornament the cornice which is surmounted by a
balustrade, the posts of which are also enhanced by carved stone details. A
bull'seye window accents each pediment.
The Denton County Courthouse possesses both architectural and historic
significance. In Romanesque style, one of Texas' most prominent
nineteenth-century architects created a building with extra ordinary
richness incorporating a combination of forms that is similar in concept to
many other courthouses but unique in composition. Since the founding of
Denton, the public square on which this temple of justice is located, has
been the focus of political activities in the county and the present
courthouse has been the center of local government for threequarters of a
century.
Denton, county seat of Denton County, was established in 1857 and named, as
was the county, in honor of John B. Denton, whose remains are buried on the
courthouse lawn. On a hundred acres of land donated by Hiram Cisco, William
Loving and William Woodruff, the fourth county seat of Denton County, Texas
was established and lots were sold at public auction on January 10, 1857.
The first courthouse was a frame building on the north side of the square.
It burned in 1875 and was replaced by a brick structure designed and built
by J.H. Britton in 1876-1877. The building was located in the center of the
town square.
After twenty years of service this structure ceased to be satisfactory and
public pressure mounted for the construction of a new courthouse. On
February 16, 1895, the Fort Worth Daily Gazette reported that, "several
parties secreted on the upper stairway supplies of barrels, coal scuttles,
bricks and the like, and at a given signal turned them all loose down the
stairs creating a fearful state of mind of those familiar with the
conditions of things."
On July 3, 1895, the Commissioners' Court authorized the construction of a
new building specifying "the Romanesque style of Architecture for the Denton
County Courthouse as shown in the design prepared by Architect J. R.
Gordon." Subsequent study of Gordon's plans resulted in his discharge for
some reason not recorded. The commission was then awarded to architect W.C.
Dodson who was ordered to prepare plans, specification and details, as well
as to supervise construction by contractor Tom Lovell. Dodson was to receive
a 5% commission based on the cost of the building which was $100,000.00.
Completed in 1896, the courthouse continues to serve its original function.
BIBLIOGRAPHY ON FILE IN THE NATIONAL REGISTER
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