Irion County Courthouse
Why it's listed
Built in 1900-1901 for $20,500, this two-story limestone courthouse in Sherwood, Texas, served Irion County until 1936, when voters moved the county seat to Mertzon by 453 to 222. It was designed and built by Martin and Moodie, contractors from Comanche. The square plan has four entrances and matching facades, with arched porches, limestone balconies, owl carvings at the entrances and a sheet-metal-clad tower. Inside are yellow pine woodwork, a detailed stairway and stamped metal ceilings. After county use ended, the Sherwood Homemakers Club occupied it until 1951, then a Baptist church, which removed two ground-floor walls and added a truss. A private owner later donated its use to the community, and the Sherwood Homecoming has been held on the lawn since 1956. The nomination values its early county history and its largely original fabric. It is described as vacant and deteriorated, with leaks around the balconies.
Significance in brief: The building is argued to have local historic and architectural significance. It represents the early history of the county and its role in the growth of West Texas. It also has fine exterior masonry and interior wood and metal work, and few old Texas courthouses retain as much original fabric.
Machine-generated summary. This summary was generated by a language model from the official nomination document and has not been reviewed line by line by an editor. It may contain errors. Check the source document before relying on any detail. Source: nomination document (PDF) · National Archives catalog entry. NRHP reference 77001455, listed August 29, 1977. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | Public Sq., Sherwood |
|---|---|
| County | Irion County |
| Listed | August 29, 1977 |
| Reference number | 77001455 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1900-1901 |
| Architect / builder | Martin and Moodie |
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Described as vacant and deteriorated, with water leakage problems in the balcony features; the building is otherwise in virtually original condition. |
| Acreage | 2 |
| Coordinates | 31.27992, -100.79458 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
For a publicly owned building or structure, listing mainly matters when federal funds, permits or licences are involved: projects then go through Section 106 review so effects on the property are considered. Listing also strengthens applications for preservation grants and, for leased income-producing uses, can enable the federal rehabilitation tax credit.
Noted as vacant in the nomination. Nomination documents can be decades old; current status may differ. If you are considering buying an empty listed property, read the due-diligence checklist.
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.
Sources and further reading
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 77001455.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q56290736
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.