Texas Porch

Historic Courthouse

The 1913 Marion County Courthouse was restored and reopened in 2021

The Marion County Courthouse in Jefferson was built in 1913 and underwent a full historic restoration — finishing with a ribbon-cutting in May 2021 — under the Texas Historical Commission's courthouse program.

Marion County History & Culture

The Marion County Courthouse in Jefferson was built in 1913. Over the years, people made changes that did not match the original design. The Texas Historical Commission (THC) runs a program to help Texas counties fix up their old courthouses. Marion County used that program. Workers took out parts added after 1913 and brought the building back to its original look. They also added some modern upgrades, like LED lighting and air conditioning.

The work took three years. The courthouse reopened on May 22, 2021, with a ribbon-cutting ceremony. The THC courthouse program has helped dozens of Texas counties bring their historic buildings back using state and federal money. Check the THC page to see details on how the program works.

Source to confirm: THC — Marion County Courthouse Preservation

More Marion County notes

Property Tax

Two offices handle your property tax bill in Marion County

The Marion Central Appraisal District sets your property value, while a separate Tax Office collects what you owe — two different offices with two different jobs.

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State Park

Caddo Lake State Park sits on a vast cypress swamp near Karnack

Caddo Lake State Park gives you access to a 26,810-acre lake full of cypress trees, more than 70 fish species, and CCC-built cabins from the 1930s.

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Public Hunting

Caddo Lake Wildlife Management Area allows public hunting with a permit

The Caddo Lake WMA covers about 8,124 acres in Marion and Harrison counties and is open to hunters who obtain the required permit from TPWD.

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Septic / OSSF

Most rural land in Marion County relies on a septic system

Outside city limits, most homes use an on-site sewage facility — a septic system — and Texas law requires a permit and a licensed site evaluation before you build or change one.

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