Hillsboro's 1890 courthouse burned in 1993 and was restored with help from Willie Nelson

The Hill County Courthouse was built in 1890. It has a limestone outside and a clock tower. The style is called Second Empire. In 1971 it was added to the National Register of Historic Places. On January 1, 1993, an electrical fire burned through the inside and knocked down the clock tower.

The county pieced together funding from insurance, federal transportation grants, state grants, donations, and benefit concerts to pay for the work. Hill County native Willie Nelson helped organize those concerts. The restoration took over six years to complete. The restored courthouse was dedicated in April 1999. It still works as an active county courthouse in downtown Hillsboro today.