The Dallas County Courthouse (Old Red) was slowly transformed in to a character-less shell of its former self throughout the 20th century.
First, the decorative steps were covered with plain white terrazzo stone. Secondly, the lovely decorative doors were replaced with functionally plain versions. Next, the ceilings were dropped, hung with florescent lights and divvied up in to small offices. Even the massive iron staircase was removed to accommodate more and more offices.
But, the final blow was the new courthouse, built in 1965. The new courthouse meant that Old Red was abandoned, without a function, for nearly 30 years. It would not be until the 1990s that a concerted effort at restoration was undertaken.
Image: Restored courtroom inside of the old Dallas County Courthouse, courtesy of OldRed.org
We start many of our tours at Old Red.
