The Washington County Courthouse is the centrepiece of downtown Brenham — a 1939 Art Deco building in cream limestone with stylised eagles and Lone Stars carved into the facade. It is the fifth courthouse on the site (its predecessors burned, were outgrown, or both) and is still the working county seat for Washington County.
The interior keeps much of its 1930s detailing: terrazzo floors, brass fittings, geometric murals in the entrance hall. The surrounding square is the social centre of Brenham, lined with the brick storefronts that make up the Downtown Historic District. Markets, a Christmas tree lighting and the annual Maifest parade all centre on the courthouse lawn.