"The courthouse in Decatur looked as if it belonged in Bavaria. It was built of red granite and was topped by a grotesque tower with a clock in it. The clock had been stopped several years-and the same could be said for the town over which the courthouse towered. Decatur was a stopped clock of sorts, but the citizens were proud of their courthouse and kept spotlights trained on it all night."
from the novel Some Can Whistle by Larry McMurtry.
What does he know? Archer County probably has an old abandoned Texaco for a seat of justice.
The Wise County courthouse was shown and discussed early in the PBS program.
For a while, about the time I graduated from high school, the city used strings of solid red lights running up to the peak of the tower, during Christmas. I brought a girl back home during that time, who'd never been here before. From 5 miles away she said she thought it was a gigantic circus bigtop.
I grew up in Wise County (but not Decatur) and always thought of the courthouse with a sense of great pride for me and for our community. Then I was drug there in a civil matter and I was introduced to the fact the the Wise County Courthouse is where the wealthy call on the licensed prostitutes of the legal profession to destroy those they choose to destroy. I now look at the courthouse as the poster for the lowest levels of human nature and the greatest examples of human depravity. It is sad.
You're a grand old flag, You're a high flying flag, And forever in peace may you wave. You're the emblem of the land I love, The home of the free and the brave. Ev'ry heart beats true 'Neath the Red, White and Blue.
I love Larry McMurtry. And you know what? That book is f-i-c-t-i-o-n. Perhaps McMurtry needed to create a mood in that particular scene...who knows. I am a HUGE fan of his novels that take place in and around Houston...especially Moving On. I so understand Patsy.
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18 comments:
Interesting old building. PBS had good program tonite on Texas courthouses. Didn't notice anything about Wise Co, tho.
You are so right, Barry. It is such an antique beauty.
"The courthouse in Decatur looked as if it belonged in Bavaria. It was built of red granite and was topped by a grotesque tower with a clock in it. The clock had been stopped several years-and the same could be said for the town over which the courthouse towered. Decatur was a stopped clock of sorts, but the citizens were proud of their courthouse and kept spotlights trained on it all night."
from the novel Some Can Whistle by Larry McMurtry.
What does he know? Archer County probably has an old abandoned Texaco for a seat of justice.
ugliest place on earth if you ask me. I love the sight of it in my rear view mirror!
My hubby's great grandfather helped build that beauty.
Kingfish you wouldn't know beauty if it slapped you in the face.
The Wise County courthouse was shown and discussed early in the PBS program.
For a while, about the time I graduated from high school, the city used strings of solid red lights running up to the peak of the tower, during Christmas. I brought a girl back home during that time, who'd never been here before. From 5 miles away she said she thought it was a gigantic circus bigtop.
Good Times.
I grew up in Wise County (but not Decatur) and always thought of the courthouse with a sense of great pride for me and for our community. Then I was drug there in a civil matter and I was introduced to the fact the the Wise County Courthouse is where the wealthy call on the licensed prostitutes of the legal profession to destroy those they choose to destroy. I now look at the courthouse as the poster for the lowest levels of human nature and the greatest examples of human depravity. It is sad.
I'm also aware of some cases in our courthouse where the poor have stood up to the wealthy and powerful, and prevailed.
It's just the American judicial system, plugging imperfectly along, here no differently than elsewhere.
Lovely piece of architecture.
6:31am-maybe you mean Larry. Those are his words, hence the quotation and citation in the posting.
I looks really cool in the summer when the crickets overrun the place.
Nothing like a little bit of a black accent to make the pretty colors of the stone stand out.
I never get tired of looking at it either, Barry. Beautiful.
I am quite confident that 9:55 is one of the licensed prostitutes referred to by 9:13.
You're a grand old flag,
You're a high flying flag,
And forever in peace may you wave.
You're the emblem of the land I love,
The home of the free and the brave.
Ev'ry heart beats true
'Neath the Red, White and Blue.
Sorry Kingfish. My bad.
Maybe Mr.McMutry wouldn't know beauty if it slapped him in the face. :)
seems like 9:13am has a good sized chip on his/her/it's shoulder. Not a good to carry around all that ill feelling.
I think 9:13 has a point. I too have no use for lawyers because of personal experience.
I love Larry McMurtry. And you know what? That book is f-i-c-t-i-o-n. Perhaps McMurtry needed to create a mood in that particular scene...who knows. I am a HUGE fan of his novels that take place in and around Houston...especially Moving On. I so understand Patsy.
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