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Wise County Courthouse
| Wise County Heritage
Museum |
El
Castile
Texas Tourist
Camp
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Designed by
architect James Riley Gordon of San Antonio, this is the
4th courthouse for Wise County. The Romanesque Revival
style building is similar in design to the Ellis County
Courthouse in Waxahachie, also by Gordon.
County
Commissioners awarded a $100,000 contract in 1895 for
the construction of the building. Ironically, all
members of the Commissioners Court were quickly defeated
in their bids for reelection. It is constructed
primarily of pink granite from the Llano quarries in
Burnet Texas, boasting Vermont marble floors, original
woodwork and beautiful iron staircases on the interior.
Listed in
the National Register of Historic places, the building
is also a Recorded Texas Historic Landmark. Open
weekdays, Monday through Friday, tours may be arranged
through the County Judge's office on the first floor. [More
Info]
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Formerly
the Administration Building for the Decatur Baptist
College, the building now houses the Wise County
Heritage Museum, Little Theatre, Lost Battalion Room
and Wise County Archives. The building was erected in
1892 of native limestone to house a four year college.
Encountering financial difficulties, 20 citizens of
Wise County pledged $1000 each in 1897 and then
established Decatur Baptist College as a junior
college. In the fall of 1965, Decatur Baptist College
moved to Dallas becoming a four year college- Dallas
Baptist University. In December of 1967 the building
and one acre were deeded to the Wise County Historical
Society by Coke L. Gage. The facility is open from
9:00 am to 4:00 p.m. Monday through Saturday and
1:30-5:00 on Sunday. Admission is $1.00 for adults .50
cents for children under 12.
[More
Info]
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"The
Castle" was built in 1883 by cattle baron Dan
Waggoner and was once headquarters to the vast
Waggoner ranching empire in North Texas. The house
boasts 16 rooms and a full basement with 8
wood-burning fireplaces. It is constructed of
fossibiferous limestone decorated with hand hewn
wrought iron on the roof and balconies. The entrance
hall has a grand staircase winding to the second
floor with Texas star motifs decorating the walnut &
oak stairway and other woodwork throughout the
house. Massive interior doors stand 16 feet tall, 3
have stained glass. The Victorian library displays
wrought iron isinglass fixtures from Denver. The
house has a large dining room, 8 bedrooms, 5 marble
bath and a huge kitchen with a copper sink and
fixtures. The house was the model for the home in
the movie "Giant". The home Thistle Hill in Fort
Worth was a wedding present to Dan's Daughter
Electra in 1902. El Castile was purchased by Phil
Luker Sr. in 1944 and remains in the Luker family to
this day. It is privately owned and not available
for public viewing.
[More
Info]
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Petrified Wood Gas Station
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Local
Businessman C.F. Boydston purchased this site, a
former feed lot in 1927. Recognizing a potential
business opportunity offering services to the
traveling public, he built a wooden shed and gas
station in 1927. Travelers were allowed to build
campfires during overnight stays and by 1931 Boydston
added three wooden cabins with garages to the camp
complex. The building were later faced with rock and
more cabins were added in 1935. The original wooden
gas station was covered with petrified wood in 1935
when the highway was widened and remained in operation
by the Boydston family until 1988.
The Texas lunchroom was built in 1929 and renamed the
Texas Cafe' in 1935. It was a popular hangout with
high school and college students of the time as well
as a destination for the traveling public.
Trains often stopped for engineers and passenger to
get a bit to eat. Part of the Complex is now occupied
by private offices. The now Whistle Stop Cafe'
has once again become a hangout for locals. The Texas
Tourist Camp is one of the few intact example of
tourist camps built throughout Texas in the mid 20th
century. The Complex is listed in the National
Register of Historic Places.
[More
Info]
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Wise County Courthouse
| Wise County Heritage
Museum |
El
Castile
Texas Tourist
Camp |
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