Honky Tonk Foodie
Hanging around Floresville for any new visitor should include a stop at the Wilson County Courthouse and Jail. The site was added to the National Register of Historic Places in Texas in 1978, and in 1984, the courthouse as a Recorded Texas Historic Landmark. San Antonio architect Alfred Giles utilized local brick for the original Italianate design, which was popular in the 19th-century; it followed the style of Classical architecture and is often described as “Neo-Renaissance.” The structure boasts entry pavilions supported on Doric columns, a bracketed cornice along the roofline, and a striking central tower with steeple uncommon to many courthouses.
Photo: THE WILSON COUNTY HISTORICAL COMISSION ARCHIVES
The jail was designed in 1887 by James Riely Gordon, and it’s made of white brick and stucco. The cubic section of the building is in the NE corner of the square. This portion of the building included general living quarters for the warden and his family on the ground floor, and prisoner cells on the second floor separated from the second-floor bedrooms. The jail was in use for the county until 1974 and today is operated by the Wilson County Historical Society as the Wilson County Jailhouse Museum. Hours can be sporadic, be sure to call before coming for a tour.
Photo: THE WILSON COUNTY HISTORICAL COMISSION ARCHIVES
Looking for more history in the area? Visit the Dewees-Remschel House, a historic residence moved from Gonzales by a remaining descendant. Built in the late 1860s and donated to the county in 1996, the museum here is brimming with historic furniture and household goods. It is located about six miles south of Floresville, at the intersection of FM 1344 and FM 541. Other key nearby sites are the Polley House and the Mueller Bridge. For those who like to drive around and spot historical markers, Wilson County is home to 62 of them! Do you think you can find them all?
