Limestone

Formed April 11, 1846 (63^rd county)

Limestone County (22,147), Groesbeck (3,633), Mexia (6,896)

The stately columns stand out against the dark brick exterior of the 1924 courthouse.  It is located on a square at Ellis and State streets.  Ellis Street is Texas State Highway 14 and Texas State Highway 164 is one block south of the site.  R. H. Stucky was the Classical Revival and Beaux Arts building’s designer.  Springfield was the original county seat beginning with the April 11, 1846 county formation.  The county was taken from Robertson County as the 63^rd county.  Springfield was the home for two courthouses until Groesbeck assumed the role in 1878.  Three courthouses have been in Groesbeck the previous was built in 1892.  The county was named for the indigenous rock in the area.  Groesbeck, pronounced GROES-BEK, was the name of one of the local railroad directors. 

Limestone County government consists of a sheriff, a County Judge, and 4 Commissioners.  One District Court Judge serves Limestone and Freestone counties, One District Court Judge serves Limestone, Anderson, Freestone, and Leon counties, and One County Court Judge serves Limestone County.  The county is located in the central river area east of Waco, Texas.  The Navasota River begins in this county.  The county center is 4.1 miles Northwest of Groesbeck.  The county is surrounded clockwise by Navarro, Freestone, Leon, Robertson, Falls, McLennan, and Hill counties. 

The area of the county is 909 square miles.  It is 130 out of 254 in the state.  It ranks 106 out of 254 in population in the state.  It has a density of 24.4 persons per square mile making it 116 out of 254 in the state.  Limestone County has 56.1% of its population in its incorporated areas.  United States Highway 84 crosses east to west, Freestone County to McLennan County.  The county is 45-degree diamond shape of counties in this part of the state.  Groesbeck is south of the geographic county center.  Mexia is located near the northeast border of the county.  Groesbeck is the county seat and Mexia is the largest city.  Groesbeck is 16.4% of the county population while Mexia is 31.1% of the county population.  The largest city is pronounced ME-HAE-YA.

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