{"nrhp_refnum":"79002924","name":"Cass County Courthouse","other_names":[],"category":"building","location":{"address":"Public Sq.","address_restricted":false,"city":"Linden","county":"Cass County","state":"TX","lat":33.01128849400004,"lon":-94.36503979799994,"geom_source":"nps_gis"},"listed_date":"1979-05-25","is_nhl":false,"nhl_designated_date":null,"areas_of_significance":["Law","Politics/Government","Architecture"],"significance_levels":["local"],"summary":{"what_it_is":"A three-story, Neo-Classical Revival county courthouse on the public square in Linden, Cass County, Texas. The original brick building was begun in 1859 and has been enlarged and remodeled several times since.","why_significant":"The nomination calls it the oldest continuously used courthouse in Texas and a visual landmark that defines Linden's townscape. It followed the mid-19th century Texas courthouse formula and was the early workplace of Congressman Wright Patman and Justice Ralph Hicks Harvey. Later additions are judged to have gained significance of their own and to respect the building's character.","narrative":"Cass County's courthouse in Linden occupies a full city block at the public square. Work on the original two-story brick building began in 1859 on the site of an earlier frame courthouse, using locally made brick by J. Thomas Veal and L. W. Lisenbee. Completion came after the Civil War. Additions followed around 1900, in 1917 and after a fire in 1933, when a third floor was added. The ca. 1900 remodeling gave it its present Neo-Classical Revival appearance, with a pedimented two-story portico, Roman Doric columns, a red tile hip roof and a decorative frieze. Interiors have been heavily altered, with lowered ceilings and paneled walls. The courthouse is described as the oldest continuously used courthouse in Texas and a focal point of the town's square. It was also the early workplace of Wright Patman and Ralph Hicks Harvey. The changes made over time are regarded as part of the building's own history.","period_of_significance":"1800-1899, 1900-","architect_builder":"J. Thomas Veal and L. W. Lisenbee (builders, 1859); Charles Ames (plan and specifications); B. H. Singletary (ca. 1900 addition); Stewart Moore, architect, and A. M. and R. G. Brashears, contractors (1917 addition)","architectural_style":"Neo-Classical Revival","criteria":[],"status_note":"Occupied and in intense use as the county courthouse; described as in good condition.","vacant_flag":false,"machine_generated":true,"model":"claude-sonnet-5-5","prompt_version":"v1.0-2026-10-29","generated_at":"2026-10-29 02:54:19.408397-05","source_pdf":"https://s3.amazonaws.com/NARAprodstorage/opastorage/live/89/9714/40971489/content/electronic-records/rg-079/NPS_TX/79002924.pdf"},"photo":{"url_800":"https://nationalhistoricalregister.com/media/79002924/3eed8ca717-800.webp","url_1600":"https://nationalhistoricalregister.com/media/79002924/3eed8ca717-1600.webp","licence":"CC BY-SA 4.0","author":"Archarzel","credit_html":"<a href=\"https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Cass_County_Courthouse_Linden_Tx.jpg\" rel=\"noopener\">Archarzel</a>, <a href=\"https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0\" rel=\"license noopener\">CC BY-SA 4.0</a>, via Wikimedia Commons","source_page":"https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Cass_County_Courthouse_Linden_Tx.jpg"},"district":null,"sources":{"nps_snapshot_date":"2026-05-22","nara_catalog":"https://catalog.archives.gov/id/40971489","wikipedia":"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cass_County_Courthouse_(Texas)","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q5049151"},"indexable":true,"url":"https://nationalhistoricalregister.com/texas/cass-county/cass-county-courthouse-79002924/"}