Polk County will hold a ribbon cutting ceremony for the restored historic Polk County Courthouse at 1 p.m. Monday, Oct. 19, at 101 W. Church Street in Livingston. The invitation, issued with the Texas Historical Commission and the Polk County Historical Commission, says the event celebrates “the completion of the restoration of the historic Polk County Courthouse” and honors a landmark “that has served our community for generations.”
The county asks guests to RSVP by Oct. 5, 2026, through its online RSVP form. A map on the invitation shows event parking off W. Mill St. near N. Beatty Ave. Details may change, so confirm with Polk County before you go.
The restoration has not been cheap. A state construction filing listed an estimated cost of $10.2 million, with work starting March 1, 2022, and a planned finish of July 1, 2025. In February 2026, the Polk County Enterprise reported that the cost to the county had reached $11,100,171, a little over $6 million more than originally expected. County Judge Sydney Murphy said the county started with a $5 million grant and a $5 million local match, but COVID and inflation forced the county to borrow money.
The spending became an issue in this year’s county judge race. Challengers Larry Pfeil and Roy E. Grant spoke out against it, while Murphy said the county made the best financial decision it could. Pfeil defeated Murphy in the May 26 Republican primary runoff, 3,912 votes to 2,584, according to the county’s unofficial results.
Sources: Polk County RSVP form and event invitation; Polk County Enterprise; Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation; Polk County election results.