The overall quality of new buildings is generally less than the construction quality of historic courthouses, which means newer structures have a much shorter life span and could potentially require more maintenance and upkeep. Atasocsa County Courthouse Intangibles Courthouses are legacies bestowed by previous generations. Current courthouse occupants are brief parts of the building's history. Preservation of a historic county courthouse demonstrates long-term vision on the part of the community and its elected officials. Such a project represents a commitment to the past and the future.
Historic courthouses are traditionally the grandest and most prominent buildings in the county.
Due to the high cost of new construction, annexes and new courthouses are usually more modest with fewer visual amenities than their historic predecessors. The methods, quality and value of courthouse construction can no longer be duplicated by today's building practices. The finely carved masonry, ornamental and sometimes exotic stones, wood flooring and paneling and extensive embellishments crafted in plaster, wood and stone all convey a message of pride and purpose that could not be replicated in a modern structure. The act of demolition is irreversible. No amount of community regret will ever bring back a historic courthouse once it has been demolished.