Thomas Jefferson designed the University of Virginia campus, including the Rotunda.

And, not surprisingly, Thomas Jefferson observed that: "How is a taste in [the] beautiful art [of architecture] to be formed in our countrymen unless we avail ourselves of every occasion when public buildings are to be erected of presenting to them models for their study and imitation?"²

America's magnificent collection of county courthouses, in particular, represent a treasure-trove of outstanding civic architecture. You'll find a number of fine examples in postcard images on these pages. While most of the thousands of county courthouses built in the late 19th and early 20th century still stand, a number have been razed -- and many are still threatened.

Fortunately, several states have supported often costly rennovation projects. At the forefront is the State of Texas, which in 1999 enacted an ambitious courthouse preservation program, providing loans to support county efforts at courthouse repair and restoration. You can read more about this program on these pages (and visit linked sites which will provide you with even more details). -- one more page