Fannin County, Texas -- Approximately 25 enthusiastic fans of the 1888 Fannin County Courthouse filed into the historic building on Wednesday, February 18, 2026, to hear a presentation by author/historian Mary Helen Dodson, the great-granddaughter of Wesley Clark Dodson, the architect of several Texas courthouses, including the imposing structure that dominates downtown Bonham.
Local limestone was procured by stonemasons Kane and Cormack and fashioned into the Second Empire style employed by Dodson.
Dodson is credited with designing 18 historic courthouses and six of those buildings stand today as originally designed, towering testaments to one of the preeminent architects of Texas' Golden Age of Courthouse Construction in the late nineteenth century.
To the delight of the crowd gathered in the Fannin County Courthouse February 18, Mary Helen Dodson presented her recently published book, The Architecture of Wesley Clark Dodson: Legacy of a Good Name. Mary Helen's daughter, Carolyn, served as her able assistant and ran the slide show for the author's presentation.
The visiting author enjoyed a very nice courthouse display on the third floor assembled by Larry Standlee and Malinda Allison and expressed appreciation to Alicia Whipple, Sherry Zindars and Lisa Loiselle for their assistance.
In addition to local attendees, two women made the trip from Weatherford to hear the presentation. Wesley Clark Dodson also designed the Parker County Courthouse in Weatherford.
After the presentation, Mary Helen Dodson was available to answer questions and sign copies of her book.
