Old Cora

It was in the year of 1856 that Little Cora came into being.  The materials for her construction were probably taken from trees that grew nearby where she first sat on the North bank of the South Leon River, the spot now known to be in the Pettit community in the Southeast part of Comanche County.  The little courthouse was created by the hands of the dedicated persons interested in the development of their county.  Comanche County had been created from parts of Bosque and Coryell Counties.

Little Cora served her purposes at the County seat, as three terms of District Court were held there.  Court consisted of trials for murder and theft.  There were indictments such as unlawfully playing at a game with cards, engaging in spirituous liquors on Sunday, having a pistol on his person, rudely displaying a pistol in a public place, seriously threatening to take a life of a human being, willfully disturbing a congregation assembled for religious worship, and other complaints.  The sides of Little Cora were bulging at times with the various activities that took place there, but she stood firm and endured it, as she was young and strong in those days.

When Hamilton County was created, part of it was taken from Comanche County, leaving Cora at the edge of the County.  The County Seat was moved nearer to the center of the county on July 18, 1859.  The city of Comanche became the County Seat.

The original log courthouse building remained at Cora town site, as that village was important for a few years after the county seat was moved.  The churches and businesses that had begun at Cora soon moved to Comanche, thus leaving Little Cora behind.

Rather than letting Cora stand and rot, the log courthouse was converted into a residence for the Tom W. Mathews family after they purchased the land around the building. In 1938, Mack Mathews, a son, who had been born there, wrote a letter to the Comanche Chief, asking that the old dwelling be preserved as a historical building.  In 1939, J.R. Eanes and a committee including Ira Clemons, Walter Barret and Wid Spivey solicited donations from businessmen and interested citizens to purchase and move Old Cora to Lake Eanes.  By this time, Little Cora was becoming Old Cora.  However, repairs were made and Cora again served her County with dignity, as many people visited there on their way for a picnic in the Lake Eanes Park.

In 1963, Old Cora again was weakening in structure and from neglect.  Mr. and Mrs. A.P. Burks asked permission to move the log house to their property in Comanche.  The worn and weather-beaten logs were replaced, but the original Old Cora remained intact.  In 1965, Old Cora was dedicated as a State Historical Building.

In 1983 the County Commissioners appointed a special committee to once again give Old Cora the attention she needed.  James H. Dudley was appointed chairman of this committee, and members were W.E. Clemons, Ben Evridge, Clodah Patton and W.H. Smith, Jr.  With the approval of the Texas Historical Commission, Old Cora was moved to the southwest corner of the town square, near the Fleming Oak, in the summer of 1984.  Restoration of Old Cora was completed in 1985.

In 2005 Old Cora was again restored in order to preserve its history.

— Partial text taken from The Sage Brush, Comanche County Historical Commission, September 1983