County Seat – Gail
Built – 1939
Style – Moderne
Architect – David S Castle Co.1/
Photos taken – 11/28/17
Gail Borden – get it? The county and county seat were named in honor of Gail Borden – who actually never visited the county. But Borden – who invented condensed milk, was involved in the early days of the Texas government. He actually platted both Houston and Galveston and for a while, served in the Texas Republic Government under Sam Houston. The county’s early days were noted as it was part of Charles Goodnight’s ranching empire. Now, the county is very much centered on cotton, ranching and oil. There are few people in Borden County – being the 4th least populated county in the state.
The courthouse is low – and almost unassuming. There are some little touches that add a touch of art deco – over the windows and a nice frieze over the entry. Inside – again, unassuming and rather small – wood is the highlight. The courtroom is rather large – and again, the highlight is wood. Even the light fixtures feature wood highlights. Probably the most unusual feature of this courthouse is the fact that the law library (I assume that’s what it is) probably belonging to the County DA, is located in the courtroom. Maybe it makes them handle if a legal question arises during a trial?