Medina County, Hondo
April 12, 2008. 12:10pm. Heading out of San Marcos, we took I-35 to Hwy 90 and over to my home town of Hondo, TX. Where else do I start this Texas County Courthouse journey than where I started my lifelong journey? I don't admit this often, but I really do love that town. It probably hasn't changed much since I graduated from high school and moved to San Marcos, but to me it seems like almost a new town. Sure, it still has the “This is God's Country. Please don't drive through it like Hell.” sign and the town square across from the funeral home where all the high school kids hung out on Saturday night, but after being gone for 13 years I saw things on this trip I guess I overlooked growing up there. For example, who knew the pink house on Ave. M has its own water well? We had a juvenile detention center on the property of the old air base? We had air conditioning?!
I'm nowhere near being a history buff and I'm scared to think this adventure will turn me into one. When I got home and was typing this I decided to do a little research and include it into my journal. Information for the current Medina County Courthouse can be found in the right margin of the page. One thing I didn't know is the original structure had a clock tower. (See picture to the right; this was the courthouse as it appeared in 1939. Photo courtesy of TXDoT.) The clock tower was removed in 1941 and two new two-story wings were added in 1942. While I knew Hondo was not the original County Seat of Medina County, I didn't know the pervious courthouse is still standing. Located in Castroville, the former courthouse serves as Castroville's City Hall. Next time I travel through the area I'll stop by and add it to the collection. (Mark this as one sub-project I can check off. See Trip 4.)
Needless to say, we had no trouble finding the court house. Mom worked across the street at the Methodist church and I was baptized, confirmed, and was awarded my Eagle badge at the church on the north side of the court house. (A few years ago the church I grew up with decided to break away from the traditional ELCA and form their own synod. I still haven't gotten over it.) Even though I can only remember going inside of the court house once, it was one structure in town that has not changed. It's still a very formidable building with the old jail in the back.
The Courthouse and Me
