The Hill County Courthouse is, in my opinion, the most beautiful courthouse in Texas. It can be seen for miles away when entering the city of Hillsboro from almost any direction. I grew up 3 miles away from the courthouse, yet when the wind was blowing just right, I could clearly hear the bell from my home. I also remember that the only public elevator in town was in the courthouse. As a young child growing up in a small farming community, it was a real thrill to get to go to the courthouse and ride the elevator. I will never forget the night it burned. Word spread so quickly. People from all over the community came and stood on the street corners and cried. I felt like we weren't crying over the loss of a building, we were crying over the childhood memories of this place, and the thought of never being able to share those experiences with our children. In just a short period of time, our hope was renewed as talk of rebuilding arose. It wasn't long before the burned out shell of our courthouse began to be rebuilt. Our forefathers had built a sturdy building, and the shell of it had withstood the fire. Now we have a beautiful place where we can once again take our children and grandchildren and tell them the stories of when we first rode an elevator.