Photograph of a fountain in the Paris town square. The words "Gift of J. J. Culbertson, 1927" are carved into the side. The fountain is not running.

Photograph of a historic plaque in Paris, Texas. It reads: "The Paris Fire. 1916. Although Paris was founded in the mid-1840s, many of its historic structures were lost in a fire that destroyed almost half the town in 1916. The blaze started about five o'clock on the afternoon of March 21, 1916, at the S. J. Long warehouse near the southwest city limits. Its cause is unknown, but one theory is that a spark from a switch engine ignited dry grass near the warehouse. Winds estimated at 50 miles per hour soon blew the fire out of control as it burned a funnel-shaped path to the northeast edge of Paris. Firemen from Bonham, Cooper, Dallas, Honey Grove, and Hugo, Okla., helped the Paris Fire Department battle the flames, which were visible up to 40 miles away. The blaze destroyed most of the central business district and swept through a residential area before it was controlled at about sunrise on March 22. Property damage from this fire was estimated at $11,000,000. The structures burned included the federal building and post office, Lamar County Courthouse and jail, City Hall, most commercial buildings, and several churches. Rebuilding was begun quickly as townspeople collected …

Photograph of a Confederate memorial on the grounds of the Fannin County courthouse. It is a tall monument, with a statue of a man at the top. There is text on the base of the statue, and there are cars parked behind it.

Photograph of a Confederate memorial in Fannin County. It reads: "To the Confederate soldiers who sacrificed their lives for a just cause, this monument is lovingly dedicated by the Daughters of the Confederacy, aided by the Confederate Veterans Association of Fannin county."

Photograph of the James Butler Bonham statue on the grounds of the Fannin County Courthouse. It was created by artist Allie Tenant in 1938, according to the date on the statue.

Photograph of the Fannin County Courthouse in Bonham. It has many windows, and a flagpole stands in front of the building. There are four cars parked in front of the courthouse.

Photograph of a historic marker. It reads: "Fannin County Courthouses. Commissioners' Court first met at Jacob Black's cabin on Feb. 26, 1836, before Fannin County was officially organized. In 1838 Warren (near present Ambrose in Grayson County) was named the county seat. The courthouse built there in 1840 was a two-story oak and cedar structure with rough plank floors. In 1843 the county seat was moved to Bois D'Arc, town's name was changed to Bonham, for an Alamo hero, the next year. Judge John P. Simpson donated land for the small log courthouse of 1843. Later another cabin was built with a breezeway connecting the two. In this early courthouse jurors sat above the courtroom in a loft that could be reached only by an outside ladder. This log building served until 1881 when a two-story brick structure was erected at the same location. This was replaced in 1888 by a three-story courthouse made of native stone from Gober, south of Bonham, and built by Scottish-born stonemasons Kane and Cormack. Fire in 1929 destroyed the clock steeple, and the building was remodeled. Using part of the 1888 structure, this courthouse was constructed in 1965-6 with a facade of Leuders stone. …

Morton Museum of Cooke County

Photograph of the Cooke County Courthouse under renovation. There are vans and orange construction equipment in front of the building, and many of the windows are boarded up.