Collin County Courthouse, Old

Collin County was created from Fannin County in 1846. It was named for pioneer area settler Collin McKinney (1766-1861), a signer of the Texas Declaration of Independence. The first county seat was established at Buckner (2 mi. NW). In 1848 William and Margaret Davis conveyed 120 acres of land at this site for a more central seat of government, which became the community of McKinney. The first two courthouse in the new town were built of wood. In 1874 county commissioners approved plans for a more substantial courthouse on this site. Sherman architect Charles Wheeler designed the building and O.J. King served as general contractor. Constructed of stone from a local quarry (3.5 mi.ne), it was completed in 1876. A grand ball was held in the courthouse to celebrate the event. By the 1920s the courthouse was inadequate to meet the needs of a growing county. Extensive changes, including the addition of a basement and a third floor, were made in 1926-27 under the direction of architect W.A. Peters of Paris, Texas. The site of many political speeches and events, the building was used as a courthouse until 1979. It now serves as a historic reminder of the county's early development.** (1982)***

Collin County Courthouse, Old is a historical marker in McKinney, Collin County, dedicated in 1982. It is one of 193 historical markers documented in Collin County in the Texas Historical Commission Atlas, among 345 historic sites cataloged across the county.

The site sits at 33.1977, -96.6152 near McKinney. The nearest cataloged historic site is Collin County Courthouse (1874) (courthouse), about under a tenth of a mile away. Others within a short drive include First National Bank Building, Collin County, and 1927 Collin County Courthouse.

This record corresponds to Texas Historical Commission Atlas #5085000948. Use the map below for its exact position and turn-by-turn directions.