Bell County Courthouse - Looking Back & Going Inside

Over five years ago I wrote a post about the Bell County Courthouse.  Since then I've visited Belton numerous times, some for dog shows with a little "wandering" afterward and on some "wandering" day trips.  Each time I come away with more appreciation for this little Central Texas town and its rich heritage which is carefully preserved. In this post I want to share what I found inside the 1885 Renaissance Revival Courthouse on a recent weekday trip.

Come with me and step inside

The interior of the Courthouse is very much a modern office facility with the usual Courthouse offices.  It is sparkling clean and very pleasant inside, but I saw no signs of original details except perhaps in the configuration of hallways and in the stairwell to the upper floors. On a future trip I hope to visit in person with one of the historians about the details of the Courthouse interior. What I was pleased to find was a large collection of photographs displayed on the first-floor walls that gave much insight into Belton and its history and that of the Courthouse. Truly, a picture is worth a thousand words!

First floor hallway, fanlight above door may be original

Third floor hallway

First floor stairwell

Among the photographs on display was a picture of the tower-less Courthouse after an extensive remodeling in the 1950's that included removing the dome, clock tower, and goddess due to deterioration.  I'm certain that the County Commissioners thought they were doing the right thing to modernize the Courthouse to mid-century modern standards, but today we recognize their mistake and have to accept that they were caught in the out-with-the-old and in-with-the new craze.  The interior was also updated and modernized at that time. 

1957 view of dome-less Courthouse, north and east side

Bell County Courthouse 1895, north and west side

Bell County Courthouse 1920

Bell County Courthouse 2020

Dome and clock tower, unknown date

Restored tower detail, 2015

Restored dome, tower, and goddess, 2015

The photographs on display in the Courthouse and shown here are from the collection of the Bell County Museum.

The Ott Hotel

Old buildings may seem boring and useless to some people, but those of us that love them know that while many buildings can be very interesting in their design and history others are just downright fun.  Take for instance, the Ott Hotel in Liberty, Texas. Built in 1928 to attract travelers on the nearby Texas & New Orleans railroad and the Old Spanish Trail highway the hotel still serves travelers (and the curious) today.  It is also home to several spirits that have garnered much attention over the years!

In the early 1900's the railroad line cutting through Liberty boosted the community into a center for trade, timber and agriculture.  The discovery of oil in nearby fields further prompted construction of buildings for restaurants, stores and hotels, including the Ott Hotel built by John and Sallie Ott. The hotel's location adjacent to the railroad tracks and close to the Liberty depot made it popular with rail passengers. Automobile tourists found it a convenient place to spend the night as well as those with business to conduct at the nearby Liberty County Courthouse.

The Ott family owned the hotel until 2002 when it was sold to Kelly and Susan McCain who restored the hotel to its original 1928 appearance. Although, truthfully, from what I saw I can't be certain it is authentic; however, it is fun and delightfully quirky. Today it is still in use as as a hotel and residence and their Facebook page indicated there are weddings held here from time to time. The hotel doesn't have a website and there is very little other information available except for numerous reports of its supernatural activities.  In 2005 the Ott Hotel was designated a Texas Historic Landmark.

First floor hallway

Hotel lobby

Many famous people have stayed here including John Wayne, Dale and Roy Evans, and Dan Rather. At least 20 people are said to have died in the hotel with some of their spirits still residing here.  The property is a certified "haunted property" having had over 50 paranormal investigations conducted. The day I visited I didn't feel a chill or anything creepy, perhaps the spirits just didn't want to deal with me! 

The hotel lobby features an original front desk and other antique memorabilia.  Pictures of Liberty through the years line the first floor hallway. From time to time the hotel offers tours and I'm hoping to catch one, but for now it was a fun find!