Not long ago I had the opportunity to visit the new Collin County Courthouse. No, I did not arrive in the back of a police cruiser, and no, I was not escorted by an armed deputy.

The new courthouse, a state-of-the-art facility, piqued my interest in historic Texas courthouses.

Most of us know that Texas has 254 counties with a courthouse in each county seat. And some of us may know that (according to the Texas Historical Commission) Texas has more historic courthouses than any other state. More than 234 courthouses are at least 50 years old and still standing, and about 80 of them were built before the turn of the 20th century.

In what we would term as "the olden days," contiguous counties, in a competitive spirit (actually for bragging rights) tried to outdo each other in building bigger, better, more ornate courthouses. The reality of the time, though, was that a courthouse was the driving force of growth. It's been said that a railroad and a courthouse was the equivalent in today's cities of a major airport.

These magnificent buildings inspire all with their unique architecture and long and colorful histories. Just take a look at the old Collin County Courthouse, the original built in 1874, making it one of the oldest courthouses in the state.

Possibly less inspiring is Texas courthouse lore associated with some of them. One of my favorite stories is about a not-so-ornate courthouse.

In the old Angelina County seat of Homer, just a stone's throw from Lufkin, on hot days court was held under a tree. Everybody sat on split log benches. One steamy summer day a man was on trial for stealing a neighbor's pig and butchering it. The trial focused on the porker's ears, the only physical evidence available. It so happened that tempers ran hotter than the temperature and a fight broke out.

After the combatants were separated and order restored, the judge had no choice but to dismiss the case. During the melee a dog ate the evidence.

Ken Gaidziunas is a staff writer for the Van Alstyne Leader and the Anna-Melissa Tribune.