Photographed May 11, 2009. Now a community center, the first Irion County courthouse was built in 1901. At the time, Sherwood had a population of about 300, making it the biggest community in the county. The Second Empire styled courthouse was constructed of local stone. The tower boasts a "false" clock. No need to worry about time, however, since it was correct twice a day. During our visit, Clark and I were given access to the interior by a couple of men who were replacing the wooden windows in the building. (They were also installing acrylic panels in place of glass to prevent them from being broken by stray bullets. At least that's what they told us.)
The building is square in plan, with doors in the center of each facade. A central hall opens into a stairway on the west side of the building. A large courtroom occupies the east half of the building's second floor. In order to span across the courtroom and support the tower above, the builder's utilized heavy timber and iron framing to create what is essentially a "bridge" structure in the attic. Our tour included a climb up into the attic to admire this structure, and enjoy the aroma of a century's worth of bird droppings.
Sherwood lost its reason for being, when in 1910 the railroad (Kansas City, Mexico and Orient, known simply as the Orient) passed it by. Nearby Mertzon, a "railroad" town was founded by the Orient and then it was only a matter of time before the county seat was moved to what was now the biggest community in Irion County. Sherwood never recovered, even losing its post office in 1974.
The monumental former courthouse now presides over what remains of the former community. Fortunately, it's in relatively good condition as it enters its second century and the clock still works.
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