The Milam County Courthouse and Jail are two separate historic county

governmental A government is the system or group of people governing an organized community, generally a state. In the case of its broad associative definition, government normally consists of legislature, executive, and judiciary. Government is a ...

buildings located diagonally opposite each other in Cameron,

Milam County, Texas Milam County is a county located in the U.S. state of Texas. As of the 2020 census, its population was 24,754. The county seat is Cameron. The county was created in 1834 as a municipality in Mexico and organized as a county in 1837. Milam Cou ...

. The Milam County Courthouse, located at 100 South Fannin Avenue, was built in 1890–1892, while the Milam County Jail, now known as the Milam County Museum, was built in 1895. On December 20, 1977, they were added to the

National Register of Historic Places The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the United States federal government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures and objects deemed worthy of preservation for their historical significance or "great artistic ...

as a single entry.Texas Gen Web: Loyd, Clarissa, ''History of Milam County''
accessed June 26, 2011Milam County Community Foundation: Aerial photo showing both buildings
accessed June 26, 2011

Milam County Courthouse

The Milam County Courthouse, located at 100 South Fannin Avenue, was designed in the

Renaissance Revival Renaissance Revival architecture (sometimes referred to as "Neo-Renaissance") is a group of 19th century architectural revival styles which were neither Greek Revival nor Gothic Revival but which instead drew inspiration from a wide range o ...

style of architecture by Austin architect A.O. Watson of the firm of Larmour and Watson. Its east and west facades mirror each other while its north and south facades mirror each other. It was built for $75,000 between 1890 and 1892 by Lee and Plummer, contractors. The cornerstone was dedicated on July 4, 1891, and the building was occupied in April 1892. Built of local stone, it originally consisted of only three stories, but in 1893 it was decided to add a clock tower which was finished in 1895. A statue of

Justice Justice, in its broadest sense, is the principle that people receive that which they deserve, with the interpretation of what then constitutes "deserving" being impacted upon by numerous fields, with many differing viewpoints and perspective ...

was mounted atop the tower. In 1938, however, the clock tower and its statue were removed for safety reasons. In the early 2000s during a restoration of the courthouse, a new clock tower was erected along with a new statue of Justice.

Milam County Jail

Milam County Museum Cameron Texas DSC 1327 ad

The Milam County Jail, located at East Main Street and South Fannin Avenue and now known as the Milam County Museum, was designed in the

Romanesque Revival Romanesque Revival (or Neo-Romanesque) is a style of building employed beginning in the mid-19th century inspired by the 11th- and 12th-century Romanesque architecture. Unlike the historic Romanesque style, Romanesque Revival buildings tended to ...

style of architecture and was built in 1895 by the Pauly Jail Building and Manufacturing Company of

St. Louis, Missouri St. Louis () is the second-largest city in Missouri, United States. It sits near the confluence of the Mississippi and the Missouri Rivers. In 2020, the city proper had a population of 301,578, while the bi-state metropolitan area, which e ...

, which brought most building supplies from St. Louis. It is a 3-story building redbrick building with many mini-turrets. It is topped by a ''hanging tower'', which was never used. The first floor was used for storage and a residence for the sheriff and his family, while the second and third floors housed prisoners. It was replaced in 1975 for a more modern jail and then became the local historical museum. Milam County Museum
accessed June 26, 2011 The jail building was designated a

Recorded Texas Historic Landmark Recorded Texas Historic Landmark (RTHL) is a designation awarded by the Texas Historical Commission for historically and architecturally significant properties in the U.S. state of Texas. RTHL is a legal designation and the highest honor the st ...

in 1978. The Jail Museum also houses a 1969 Recorded Texas Historic Landmark plaque for the Green-Batte House which has since burned.

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Milam County Courthouse Renaissance Revival architecture in Texas Romanesque Revival architecture in Texas Government buildings completed in 1892 Government buildings completed in 1895 County courthouses in Texas Jails on the National Register of Historic Places in Texas History museums in Texas Buildings and structures in Milam County, Texas Courthouses on the National Register of Historic Places in Texas National Register of Historic Places in Milam County, Texas Jails in Texas

Milam County Courthouse

Milam County Jail

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