Pursuant to my PhD studies in Geography, I have conducted an extensive amount of field research regarding the topic of my proposed dissertation, the Geography of Church Bell Towers in Texas. In doing so, my wife Ann and I have logged many miles on road trips across the state, visiting and photographing thousands of churches. I have also used these trips as an opportunity to record other features of the Texas landscape, including most of the state’s county courthouses as well as elements of our infrastructure. General information and small samplings of these features may be seen herein.

All materials including photographs, sketches, other imagery, and text are Copyright 2024 R. Gregory Turner

Courthouses

Texas is home to 254 county courthouses. In the course of our road trips, we’ve now visited and photographed all but those highlighted in yellow on the map. By the end of 2024 there should be very few remaining to visit.

Our county courthouses are a wonderful heritage for the state, displaying the richness of Texas history and architecture. The photos below present a sampling. Take a look and let me know which ones you like.

Baylor County (Seymour)

Zapata County (Zapata)

Upton County (Rankin)

Upshur County (Gilmer)

Robertson County (Franklin)

Matagorda County (Bay City)

Presidio County (Marfa)

Roberts County (Miami)

Maverick County (Eagle Pass)

Galveston County (Galveston)

Kent County (Jayton)

Kenedy County (Sarita)

Colorado County (Columbus)

Lavaca County (Halletsville)

Bexar County (San Antonio)

Randall County (Canyon)

Churches

This map indicates locations of the more than three thousand churches (so far) that have been visited and photographed. I won’t get to all of the 22,000-plus Christian congregations in Texas, but I will end up with a large sample size! I have been focusing on the rural areas and secondary metro areas first. Then I will start on the four large metro areas. I will periodically update this map, so feel free to follow my progress!

The church bell tower, which originated in medieval Europe, has evolved into many forms that carry on the bell tower’s early purpose of communication and symbolism. There are now also towers without bells, bells without towers, implied towers, steeples, spires, spikes, steles, skeletons, shapes, and signs. A sampling is shown below.

texas steeplechase

Courthouses

Churches

Infrastructure