Denton Photos, Part Two: Downtown

While I was driving around, I decided to start with taking photos of Denton's historic Courthouse on the Square and the buildings around the Square. The original courthouse burned down, so this was Denton's second Courthouse. These days, it is primarily used as a museum, as we have a new Courthouse for actual business affairs. The Courthouse on the Square is still the scene for many city and county events though, and is the heart of Denton.







Outside the Courthouse, a War Memorial was erected by the County a little over ten years ago.



Standing by the street is an archway, with a statue and dedication to the Confederate soldier. Yes, Texas was part of the Confederacy, and yes, there were soldiers fighting in the war from Denton.



All around the Square are buildings butted up together against each other. The four streets surrounding the Courthouse are all one-way streets. Many of the businesses on the Square have been there for a very long time. Evers Hardware has been housed there for more than 100 years. Other businesses have become staples of the Downtown experience over the years, such as the Fine Arts Building, and Denton County Independent Hamburger Company. The overall atmosphere on the Denton Square is that of an Old-Timey, Small-Town feel, even though Denton is far from still being a small town anymore!

The old Opera House is no more, but the building is still a prominent one in Denton. Recycled Books has resided in the lower part of the building for as long as most can remember, and the upper level has been made into apartments and office spaces. It's trademark lilac color makes it impossible for anyone to either miss it, or to forget it!




Just a block away from the Square is the old Police Station. They have since moved into a newer building as well, but the former building still stands. It is now used as a part of City Hall.

When taking most of these photos, I had my camera on a setting I had not used before. I find that once I got home and edited my photos, it really was perfect for shooting these older buildings. It gives them an old feel, even more so than what they would have in a straight shot. Also, I played a bit with the color in some of them to further enhance that old feeling.