Texas Porch

Historic Landmark

Granbury's Courthouse Square Is a Well-Preserved Historic District

The Hood County Courthouse in Granbury was built in 1890-1891, survived a 1968 tornado, and was fully restored using a Texas Historic Courthouse Preservation Program grant.

Hood County History & Culture

The Hood County Courthouse was designed by architect W.C. Dodson. It was built between 1890 and 1891 using Brazos limestone. The style is French Second Empire. It has a three-story clock tower and sheet metal cornices. The courthouse was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1974. It was named a State Antiquities Landmark in 1981.

A tornado in 1968 badly damaged the clock tower. A community campaign — including schoolchildren donating coins — raised support to fix it. That effort helped start a wider preservation movement in Granbury.

The courthouse was fully restored in 2011. The project used a $5 million grant from the Texas Historic Courthouse Preservation Program. Workers uncovered original hand-painted walls during the work. They also restored the original 1890 Seth Thomas clockworks. The Texas Historical Commission oversaw the restoration.

Source to confirm: Texas Historical Commission — Hood County Courthouse

More Hood County notes

Property Tax Savings

Homestead Exemption Cuts Your Property Tax Bill

If you own and live in your Hood County home, a homestead exemption can lower the value used to calculate your school tax bill by $100,000.

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Property Tax Protest

You Can Protest Your Appraisal Value Each Year

Hood County property owners who think their appraisal is too high can formally protest, and the deadline is usually May 15 or 30 days after the notice arrives.

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Agricultural Valuation

Ag Valuation Can Sharply Lower Taxes on Rural Land

Land used for farming, ranching, or timber can be taxed on its agricultural income value rather than its market value, which is often much lower.

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Building Rules

No County Building Permit Required in Most of Hood County

In unincorporated Hood County — outside city limits — you do not need a county building permit to build a home, but you still need septic, road access, and well permits.

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