Virtual Tour of Downtown Dallas

Romanesque Revival, 1893. Located on Houston Street, this structure is made of red sandstone and blue granite. It is the fifth courthouse to occupy the site, and cost the princely sum of $300,000. The architects Orlopp and Kusener were from Little Rock. The courthouse constituted the center of town for many years. Originally there was a huge clock tower on top, but in 1919 the tower was removed because the reverberations from the three-ton bell were so loud that it was feared they would damage the building's structure. The courthouse is on property donated by John Neely Bryan. Dallas became the permanent county seat in the 1850 election. The building is being renovated and now houses the Dallas Convention and Visitors Bureau Visitor Information Center. Beginning in late 2004, the Old Red Courthouse will be home to a museum of Dallas County history

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