THE FOUR MCLENNAN COUNTY COURTHOUSES

McLennan County has had four Courthouses.

The first McLennan County Courthouse, built in 1852, was located on the Waco City Square. It was a two-story log cabin. It was on the southwest corner of the Square, at South Third Street.

The second McLennan County Courthouse was built in 1858 and was located in the middle of the Waco City Square. It was a two-story brick structure.

The third McLennan County Courthouse was built in 1877 on the corner of Second Street and Franklin Avenue. It was three-stories tall, with a clock tower. The growing McLennan County had outgrown this building by the 1890s, and they also expanded into office space in the Provident Building, which was located at Fourth and Franklin. In the early 1900s, it was sold to the Crow Brothers and became Crow Brothers Laundry.

The fourth and current McLennan County Courthouse was completed in 1902. It is located on Washington Avenue, between Fifth and Sixth Streets.

(c) 2020 George Randall Scott