County Courthouse and County Museum welcome author and invite public
Three Presentations by will be given in Hillsboro, Texas on Tuesday, February 17th 2026
12:00 pm – Lions Club at First Methodist Church
(private Lions Club event)
inquire about attending at 254-582-2481
2:00 pm – Hill County Courthouse (open to the public)
5:00 pm – Hillsboro City Library Reception (open to the public)
During these presentation and book signing events, May Helen Dodson will share the story of her great-grandfather’s remarkable career — from rebuilding his life after the Civil War, to designing courthouses, jails, churches, and schools that shaped civic life across Texas.
Of special significance to Hillsboro, Texas, Dodson was the architect of Hill County Courthouse and the Hill County Cell Block Museum.
Featuring highlights of his most notable works, this presentations will offer fresh insights into Dodson’s lasting architectural legacy, and the landmark structures in Hillsboro and in 15 other Texas counties.
The Speaker:
Mary Helen Dodson is retired from her career as a test developer for Educational Testing Service of Princeton, New Jersey, where she was awarded a US patent for online assessment technology. She currently resides in Newtown Square, Pennsylvania.
The Book:
Raised the son of a Methodist circuit-riding minister, Wesley Clark Dodson had just begun establishing himself as a civic-minded architect in Alabama when the outbreak of the Civil War dramatically altered his life. He fought with the 40th Alabama Infantry Regiment and emerged from the war disabled. In 1866, unable to find work as an architect in his home state, he was determined to begin again in Texas.
Starting over would prove far from simple. Postwar Texas had a depressed economy, and the conflicts of Reconstruction plagued the state. Dodson lost his beloved wife, Sarah, to illness during a severe winter. Nevertheless, he persevered, gradually building a career designing courthouses, jails, churches, and schools; institutions he saw as necessary to create a good, strong society in Texas. Eleven of Dodson’s public buildings are still in use today and nine of Dodson’s buildings in Texas, including the First Presbyterian Church in Palestine and the courthouses of Parker, Hill, and Lampasas Counties, are listed in the National Register of Historic Places.
The Architecture of Wesley Clark Dodson reveals how Dodson transitioned from being a pre–Civil War master builder to a late nineteenth century professional architect with a membership in the prestigious American Institute of Architects; details the important role he played in elevating architecture to the status of a licensed profession; and provides insights into the process of building these public institutions and the difficulties encountered. Drawing from extensive research in public records, personal letters, collected papers, and memoirs drafted by Dodson in his eighties, Mary Helen Dodson has assembled a portrait of an important and influential architect during the “golden age of courthouse construction” in Texas.
If you have questions about the events on February 17th, please call the Hillsboro, Texas Area Chamber of Commerce at 254-582-2481
If you absolutely can’t make these events in Hillsboro, you can watch the video provided Mary Helen Dodson introduces her book, The Architecture of Wesley Clark Dodson. Wesley Clark Dodson (1829–1914) was a leading Texas architect during the Reconstruction era, best known for designing county courthouses and jails during the state’s “golden age of courthouse construction.” During this webinar, Helen shares the story of her great-grandfather’s remarkable career — from rebuilding his life after the Civil War to designing courthouses, jails, churches, and schools that shaped civic life across Texas. Featuring highlights of his most notable works, this presentation offers fresh insights into Dodson’s lasting architectural legacy.
The book is currently for sale on Amazon, and will also be available on her visit to Hillsboro, with book signing opportunities.
