Fannin County Courthouse Photos

Commissioners Court first met at Jacob Black's cabin on Feb. 26, 1836, before Fannin County was officially organized. In 1838 Warren (near present Ambrose in Grayson County) was named the county seat. The courthouse built there in 1840 was a two-story oak and cedar structure with rough plank floors.

In 1843 the county seat was moved to Bois d'Arc; the town's name was changed to Bonham, for the Alamo hero, the next year. Judge John P. Simpson donated land for the small log courthouse of 1843. Later another cabin was built with a breezeway connecting the two. In the early courthouse jurors sat above the courtroom in a loft that could be reached only by an outside ladder.

This log building served until 1860 when a two-story brick structure was erected at the same location.

This was replaced in 1888 by a 3-story courthouse made of native stone from Gober, south of Bonham, and built by Scottish-born stonemasons Kane and Cormack.