Victorian Texas Courthouses have been called the "architectural treasures of the state". Although they have a number of characteristics in common, such as the use of wrought iron, stained-glass, towers, turrets, and gingerbread, the architecture of the Victorian Era was not just one style but a collection of many styles. Coinciding with these architectural styles in Texas was the "golden age" of courthouse design and construction. The Victorian styles fit perfectly with the public's idea of what a grand "temple of justice" should say about the county's people and their values. These styles were ideal in that they could illustrate in stone and glass the power of government and law in society. Unfortunately, most of these great Victorian buildings are gone, but thankfully through vintage picture post cards we can still enjoy their architecture. This book is an attempt at the architectural preservation of Victorian Texas courthouses through the use of over one hundred vintage picture post cards.

The history of Galveston is the history of Texas. Beyond that, it is the history of the European colonization of the New World. Galveston has seen cannibalistic Indians, Spanish conquistadors, explorers, filibusters, pirates and their treasure, ship wrecks, Civil War battles, yellow fever epidemics and survived all these to become the leading city in Texas in both population and commerce during the mid and late 19th Century. The heroes of the Alamo and San Jacinto have walked her streets. Jim Bowie, Sam Houston, General Santa Anna and President David G. Burnett are but a few of the men whose names fill our history books. She has seen a fleet of pirate ships anchored in her harbor as well as the Union Navy. Galveston had the first telegraph, first telephone, first electric lights, first medical and nursing schools in the state and the list goes on and on. At one time she had over forty millionaires living in kingly mansions of almost every style of architecture along Broadway and other avenues.