Bexar County Courthouse

Designated as both a Texas Historic Landmark and a National Historic Landmark, the Bexar County Courthouse is a celebrated example of Romanesque Revival architecture. Designed by noted architect James Riely Gordon in the 1890s, the courthouse reflects its Texas heritage through the use of granite, sandstone, and colorful roof tiles.

EverGreene joined the project team during preconstruction planning and design to help guide restoration strategies for the historic courtroom interiors. In June 2014, our conservators conducted a historic finishes investigation and detailed documentation of the painted decorative finishes and crown molding. Findings from this analysis informed the development of a historically appropriate color palette and restoration approach.

To restore missing ornamental plaster, EverGreene designers developed new capitals inspired by the original decorative program and characteristic 19th-century classical detailing. The new plaster ornament was fabricated in EverGreene’s New York studio and installed on site. Craftsmen applied BASWAphon acoustic plaster within the coffered ceiling and traditional three-coat flat plaster on the walls, while decorative artists reinstated the historically sympathetic finishes throughout the space. Together, these efforts returned the double-height courtroom to its 1897 grandeur.