"The old, historic building was demolished and  a dramatic, formal and imposing concrete structure was constructed in the Bay City square. Set on a plinth, with a parking garage below grade, the two-story building is a "classic" example of so-called modern architecture of the period.  The solid first floor is setback behind a row of columns that support the over-hanging second floor with its vertical brise-soileil (French for "sun-breaker") shading the glazed elevations from the harsh Texas sun.  For a contemporary courthouse, this one is very well done. In 1959, Rustay & Martin Architects of Houston designed the Calhoun County courthouse in Port Lavaca, so they were already familiar with this area of the Texas Gulf coast." - http://www.254texascourthouses.net/051-matagorda-county.html