Archer County Courthouse and Jail

The Archer County Courthouse and Jail is a historic courthouse building on Public Square and Sycamore and Pecan Streets in Archer City, Texas.

Archer County Courthouse and Jail
U.S. National Register of Historic Places
Texas State Antiquities Landmark
Recorded Texas Historic Landmark
Archer County Courthouse and Jail
Location	Public Sq. and Sycamore and Pecan Sts., Archer City, Texas
Coordinates	33°35′42″N 98°37′31″W
Area	4 acres (1.6 ha)
Built	1891-92
Architect	Alonzo N. Dawson
Architectural style	Romanesque Revival
NRHP reference No.	77001424[1]
TSAL No.	8200000020
RTHL No.	191
Significant dates
Added to NRHP	December 23, 1977
Designated TSAL	May 28, 1981
Designated RTHL	1963

Archer County was organized in 1880. The Romanesque style courthouse was built during 1891-92 and replaced a wooden courthouse from 1880. An architectural design competition was held, and the Romanesque Revival-style design of architect Alonzo N. Dawson of Fort Worth was chosen out of 25 submissions.[2]

The contract amount for construction was $32,500. The exterior walls of the courthouse are of brown sandstone obtained from a nearby quarry. Originally, the building was two-story and rising from the center of the courthouse was a massive octagonal tower, with four clock faces, terminated with a cupola. The tower was removed in 1928 and a third floor was added.

The jail, a block north of the courthouse, was built in 1910.[2]

The courthouse and jail were added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1977.[1]