Austin, Texas story
From Log Cabin to PWA Moderne
Long before downtown Austin was filled with soaring modern towers, its local government operated out of a simple log cabin. That humble cabin reportedly served as Travis County's…
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Long before downtown Austin was filled with soaring modern towers, its local government operated out of a simple log cabin. That humble cabin reportedly served as Travis County's very first courthouse. But by the early twentieth century, the growing city needed something far more grand and permanent.
Enter the Page Brothers, who designed the striking building you can see today. Built between 1930 and 1931 for seven hundred and fifty thousand dollars, this structure is a classic example of PWA Moderne style—a sleek, geometric architectural movement born during the Great Depression. Decades later, in 2005, the courthouse was renamed to honor Heman Marion Sweatt and his historic civil-rights-era lawsuit.
It is a powerful reminder of how concrete and stone can be reshaped to honor the march of justice.
Updated June 2026