The Ellis County Historic Courthouse stood for 101 years before needing any significant refurbishments. By 1998, the state of the courthouse – both interior & exterior – had deteriorated to the point that the Commissioners’ Court sought financial assistance to restore it. Then-Governor George W. Bush had authorized significant funding for courthouse restorations through the Texas Historical Commission, and the Ellis County Historic Courthouse was among the first chosen. Between 1998 and 2002, County Judge Al Cornelius closed the doors of the Ellis County Historic Courthouse for a full restoration led by Larry Irsik of Architexas, an architectural firm specializing in historic Texas structures, and T.O. Sherer of Thos. S. Byrne, Ltd., General Contractor. Meanwhile, county offices & courts convened in surrounding downtown buildings and portable facilities. The courthouse was de-modernized to appear more like it had in the early 20th century – including removal of a central elevator and newer offices on the third floor – while a few historic office areas were hollowed out to make way for a fire escape and ramp entrance in order to comply with modern fire code and disability accommodation regulations.
During this four-year restoration process, a number of artifacts were recovered. Seen here in the display case is an original lighting fixture, the first official notary stamp of Ellis County, and the original clock hands from 1897. Also in the display case is a “molding mask” for one of the gargoyle faces on the courthouse exterior. Where many of the carved faces had weathered away over the decades, Talent Restoration poured a sandstone-like substance into these “molding masks,” which were placed upon the faces to add material back. Ever since the restoration concluded in 2002, Talent has returned to the courthouse once or twice every year to fill in any cracks that appear in the sandstone with this substance, which protects the courthouse from water damage.