This article originally appeared on KETK.com.
A new dome has been added to the top of the Smith County Courthouse, marking a major milestone in the building’s construction, officials said.
The structure adds nearly 60 feet to the courthouse and includes several components: a lower dome, 14-foot columns, an upper dome and a 9-foot spire.
Crews installed the dome in two parts. The larger, 56,000-pound section was set in place overnight Sunday, followed by a smaller, 16,000-pound section early Monday morning.
Fletcher Rives, assistant project manager for Hoar Construction, said a 900-ton mobile crane, one of the largest of its kind in the United States, was used for the installation.
“This milestone represents a major step forward in the restoration and brings the courthouse closer to completion,” Rives said.
Construction crews assembled the non-copper dome in February in the former jury parking lot, which had been used as a laydown yard during the project.
Ground was broken on the new courthouse in August 2024, two years after Smith County voters approved the $179 million bond to fund construction.
“The upper portion of the courthouse dome has been installed, and it is beautiful,” the Smith County Sheriff’s Office said in a statement. “Hats off to the citizens of Smith County for approving the new courthouse. The downtown area will be a big draw for East Texas once it is completed!”
