Isn't It Just 'Ducky'?

Near the Cultural/Entertainment District here in town, an interstate highway begins right at the Gulf's Bay. Looking northwest from its start you can see a condemned building of historical value. In fact, in 1976 it was placed on the National Register of Historic Places across USA. I say it's condemned and unsafe for human habitation. I've really never stopped to look closely. But the other day, as we were walking along the seawall on Shoreline Blvd. I crossed Shoreline and walked a block and stopped behind the Federal Courthouse to zoom in on the condemned property of the Nueces County Courthouse. It is all fenced area for about a block. There are some city streets that run in front of the building, but when we are on those streets, I never had a camera with me that could zoom in for detail...

In 1853 lawlessness in Nueces County, which covered most of the area from Corpus Christi to the Mexican border, prompted the construction of the first county courthouse on this block. Three lots were purchased for $300 from Corpus Christi founder, Henry Lawrence Kinney (1814-1865). A second courthouse was built in the mid-1870's beside the first. Under the administration of county Judge Walter F. Timon (1872-1952), this neo-classic structure was completed in 1914 at a cost of $250,000.

The top two floors, separated from the rest of the building by an air space to eliminate noise, served as the jail. In addition to government offices, apartments were provided until the 1950's for the jailer and other county officials. During storms which almost leveled the city, hundreds of refugees sought shelter here.

In 1874 four men were killed near Baffin Bay...Two of the criminals caught by a posse were brought to Corpus Christi for trial. They were convicted of the crime and hanged on Friday, August 7. The gallows were built extending out from the second-floor balcony of the courthouse. These were the first officially sanctioned hangings in Nueces County. Two cells with gallows and a trap door for hangings were built in the 1914 courthouse, but they were never used; the state took over the responsibility of carrying out executions. In 1977 the county courthouse was relocated in a newly built building which still serves the area...closing for good the historic building on the bluff...

...read more on the history of the courthouse
Linking to: Rubbish Tuesday

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At Aransas Birding Center, life was filled with activities! Two cormorants were being quite playful amongst the reed grasses in the pond...I really think they were playing...chasing, following, diving, only to resurface together and repeating their water antics. Then, down the boardwalk some distance a new family. Black Bellied Whistling ducklings and their mother/parents...




...and this is Stewart's 100th week of hosting Wild Bird Wednesday. He hinted to share our favorite bird photo that was once published previously. Altho it's posted on my bird photo blog, I'd have to say this bird photo session was a favorite experience. Especially after driving through the desert lands of South Texas to see if we could find it after it was reported seen in the area:

The Painted Redstart
A Mexican bird...vagrant up near Falfurrius, Texas.

linking to: Nature Notes, Wild Bird Wednesday, Our World Tuesday

...there are no Hodgepodge questions from Joyce this week.