Franklin County Courthouse

Mt. Vernon was established in 1849 on land donated by Stephen and Rebecca Keith, and a public square was surveyed in the 24-acre plat. When Franklin County was created in 1875, Mt. vernon was voted county seat, and a wooden building northeast of the square was used as the first courthouse. Lots on the block north of the square were soon purchased for $150 for a 2-story wooden jail costing $1,600. In 1878 a brick courthouse was built on the square at a cost of $5,500. In 1910 county commissioners ordered an election to decide the building of a new courthouse and jail. The commissioners' court then rescinded that order, called for construction warrants to be issued without election, and levied a property tax to pay for the new buildings. Citizens filed suit against the county, and in January, 1911, the district court prevented construction from proceeding. An appellate court overturned the decision and by December, 1911, the Texas Supreme Court had affirmed this method of financing county buildings. Within days of the landmark decision, Franklin County commissioners awarded a contract to L. R. Wright & Co. to construct this courthouse and adjacent jail. The buildings were completed in 1912 at a cost of $55,000. Texas Sesquicentennial 1836 - 1986

Franklin County Courthouse is a historical marker in Mt. Vernon, Franklin County, dedicated in 1986. It is one of 16 historical markers documented in Franklin County in the Texas Historical Commission Atlas, among 40 historic sites cataloged across the county.

The site sits at 33.1895, -95.2214 near Mt. Vernon. The nearest cataloged historic site is Rutherford Drugstore (historical marker), about under a tenth of a mile away. Others within a short drive include Wright - Vaughan House, The, First Baptist Church of Mount Vernon, and First United Methodist Church of Mount Vernon.

This record corresponds to Texas Historical Commission Atlas #5159009842. Use the map below for its exact position and turn-by-turn directions.