This was our 244^th Courthouse in Texas to visit. That means we are at 96.1% of our goal with 3.9% left to go.

No one seems to know who built the courthouse in Alpine. In 1940 when The Avalanche issued its 50th anniversary edition, an effort was made to find out who did the work, but nobody knew. The report, given then, is all that is known today-unless somebody is keeping secrets.

On March 14, 1887, soon after Brewster County was organized, the commissioners ordered that the architects be contacted by letter to discuss plans for a courthouse and jail, the former to cost no more than $12,000 to $15,000, and the jail to cost no more than $12,000.

A little later bonds, were voted in the sum of $28,000, and either that amount or $27,000 was expended for the two buildings – the courthouse and jail both stand today, giving good service.

Two or three men got the contract for the buildings, but all the scurrying around that has been possible for one newsman in a comparatively limited time has failed to unearth the names of the contractors. Even the dependable old-time information pros – Judge Van Sickle, Mrs. Walter Garnett or Mrs. J. C. Bird could not recall.