Courthouse Square |
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| The town of Denton is in Denton County in the state of Texas. Denton is not a very old town in Texas, but it is an interesting town. One of the most interesting places in Denton is the Courthouse Square. | |
| In
1857, three men donated land to build a new town on. They wanted this new town to be in
the center of the county. They decided to name the new town Denton. The name for the
town came from John B. Denton, a lawyer, preacher, ranger, and Indian fighter. In
1841, he died in a fight with Indians. Today the grave of John B. Denton is under the
trees near the Courthouse. Like other towns in the 1800s, Denton had a "Square" in the center. The Square was the heart of the town. The people built their important buildings around the Square. People conducted business on the Square. They met their friends on the Square. Farmers brought their produce -- their corn, onions, tomatoes, and watermelon -- to the market on the Square on Saturday mornings. People shopped, talked, and visited on the Square. The courthouse is one of those important buildings. The first Denton Courthouse was built in 1857. It held the court, the jail, and city records, and it sat on the north side of the square. A terrible accident happened in 1875, and, as a result, the Courthouse burned. Two years later, the city built a new, brick Courthouse in the center of the Square, where the Courthouse sits today. In 1895, lightening hit the Courthouse and started a fire. The fire burned the Courthouse down. The people of Denton decided to build a new Courthouse immediately, and they began the work that year. Between 1895 and 1877, workers were building a larger, stone Courthouse, the Courthouse-on-the-Square. This is the same Courthouse that now sits in the middle of the Square. Its history is recorded on a plaque. The Courthouse-on-the-Square became a landmark of Denton for many years. Then, in 1985, people realized that their Courthouse was in bad condition. They raised taxes and used the money to repair their building. At that time, they decided to put a museum on the first floor. The complete Courthouse once again became a landmark. |
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Today, the Square has many stores and many restaurants around it. The Texas Building sits on the north side of the Square, across from the Recyled Book, Record, and CD store. The Museum attracts people who want to see the collection of antique dolls or of antique furniture and equipment. |
| Stores around the Square sell books, antiques, sporting goods, handmade carpets, and jewelry. People once again meet on the Square to visit or shop or to listen to music when bands come to play during the summer. People always enjoy visiting the interesting Denton Courthouse Square. | |
