Waxahachie Architecture Guidebook

Book excerpt: This fully illustrated volume explores the exceptional architectural legacy of Waxahachie, Texas. Beginning with the landmark Ellis County Courthouse designed by James Riely Gordon, the guidebook documents residential, commercial, and institutional buildings--both large and small--as well as the individuals who designed, built, and owned them. Styles, forms, architects, builders, owners, and occupants are identified and described, giving insight not only into the town's architectural riches and building culture, but also into its economic and social history. The authors offer new documentation for many buildings through their use of original sources, including early newspapers and mechanics' liens, and an extensive knowledge of the period design books that were so popular with Waxahachie lumberyards. Concentrating on the downtown and the older neighborhoods, the Waxahachie Architecture Guidebook is an invaluable resource for visitors, curious residents, and anyone studying the buildings and architecture of Texas.