County Seat – Longview
Built – 1932
Style – Art Deco
Architect – Voelcker & Dixon
Date Photographed – 12/7/12
This courthouse was somewhat of a mix bag. It was designed by Voelcker & Dixon – a name you’ll find on a lot of Texas courthouses design in this time period and in the art deco style. And it has a lot wonderful exterior features – including the ubiquitous eagles and lamps. Really, you could take a check list of art deco, and this one would tic off most of the items on your list.
The disappointment really comes in setting and use. Gregg County has grown a lot over the years and so have the needs of the county for space. As a remedy for that need the county chose to add a wing on each side of the 1932 building. Each of the wings were built at different times and in different styles. Each not complimenting each other – but joined in building and purpose. We really didn’t do much looking around in the interior – which was also a disappointment. It was getting a little late in a long day of travel, and when we went in – the building had a very active security process going on. We might have lasted it out and gone in – but as I said it was getting late. From what little we saw of the interior, there is a lot of polished marble – but we don’t know if any of the high art deco styling outside was carried inside.