Lockhart's 1894 courthouse and downtown are on the National Register

The Caldwell County Courthouse was finished on March 19, 1894. Pale sandstone walls have red stone trim. A steep mansard roof sits below a clock tower, four corner towers, and two more towers at the doors. The building even had electric lights when it opened.

The courthouse and nearby shops form a nine-block historic district. It joined the National Register in 1978. The square still feels whole because stores, walks, and old public buildings ring the courthouse. Lockhart's barbecue adds another layer: the Legislature named it the Barbecue Capital of Texas in 1999, making a courthouse walk and a meal one natural downtown visit.