Famous for its architecture, infamous for the tales that surround events in the early days of its founding, the Sutton County Courthouse is one of more than a dozen historical landmarks on the Sonora Downtown Historic Walking Tour, which also includes the Miers Home Museum, Old County Jail, Old Santa Fe Depot and others.
Built on property donated by landowner R. W. Callahan, the courthouse was designed in 1891 by Oscar Ruffini, one of the pioneer architects in Texas. The three-story building, with its French clay tile roof, is made of local limestone and red Burnet granite, and was designed in the ornate Second Empire style popular at the time. Opened in 1893, the courthouse remains active today.
As testimony to its Wild West past, legend has it that after being shot, outlaw Will Carver, who at one time was part of Butch Cassidy’s gang, was taken to the courthouse, where he died.
On a more genteel note, in 1977 the courthouse was named to the National Register of Historical Places due, in part, to the historical significance of its architecture and engineering dating from the period of 1875 to 1899.
Markers and wreaths on the courthouse lawn honor pioneer families whose descendents remain part of the community.