Maverick County Courthouse
Why it's listed
Built in 1884-1885 on the public square of Eagle Pass, this brick courthouse served Maverick County government for nearly a century. Wahrenberger and Beckman of San Antonio designed it, and local contractor William Hausser built it. The plan is a square with a central corridor, offices on the ground floor and the courtroom upstairs. Chamfered corners soften the mass, Roman-arched openings repeat across the walls and tower, and a clock tower still holds its original clock and bell. A corbeled brick cornice survives, unlike the sheet metal cornices lost on many other Texas courthouses. Small additions around 1930 echoed the original details, while interiors were updated over the years. The building also hosted the 1889 trial of Dick Duncan, whose hanging in the county jail in 1891 was the only execution in the county. After a new courthouse opened in 1978, the old one stood vacant, though residents hoped to keep it and find new uses.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues architectural significance for its unusual chamfered corners, Roman-arched openings, clock tower and corbeled brick cornice, which survives where many Texas cornices of sheet metal do not. It also claims historical significance as the center of county government for nearly a century and the site of the 1889 Dick Duncan trial.
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 80004141, listed February 15, 1980. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | Public Sq., Eagle Pass |
|---|---|
| County | Maverick County |
| Listed | February 15, 1980 |
| Reference number | 80004141 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1884-1885 |
| Architect / builder | Wahrenberger and Beckman (architects); William Hausser (builder) |
| Areas of significance | Politics/Government, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Condition rated good and altered. A new courthouse was completed nearby in 1978, and the old building was vacant with future reuse uncertain when the form was prepared. |
| Acreage | 3.1 |
| Coordinates | 28.70953, -100.50170 (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 80004141.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikidata Q107322663
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.