The Tarrant County Commissioner’s Court today approved a monument featuring the Ten Commandments to be placed on the lawn of the historic 1895 Tarrant County Courthouse located in downtown Fort Worth. The resolution was passed as a broader initiative to honor and highlight the historical foundations of American law and civic life. Tarrant County is the first county in Texas to place such a monument on public display.
“We’re deeply honored to be the first county in Texas to vote to place a monument to the Ten Commandments on our courthouse lawn,” said Commissioner Matt Krause, the sponsor of the measure. “This will be a great reminder of the enduring principles that have helped shape our nation’s legal system as we move toward America’s 250th birthday next year and Texas’s bicentennial in 2036.”
The monument, which was privately donated by The American History & Heritage Foundation, will be installed free of taxpayer expense and will stand among other displays commemorating the County’s judicial and civic history and traditions. Commissioner Krause emphasized that the display will be placed to acknowledge the influence of the Ten Commandments on the development of Western legal thought and American constitutional principles, all of which heavily influenced county government in Texas. “The placing of the monument on county grounds is about recognizing a vital piece of our shared cultural and legal heritage in our great state and country,” said Krause.
The monument joinssimilar installations across the United States that have provided communities with like opportunities for historical and educational reflection on our nation’s legal and historical underpinnings. “My hope is that the display will inspire us to further reflect on the moral and legal foundations that guide the pursuit of justice and civic society in Tarrant County and beyond,” said Krause. “I also hope this will inspire other counties and cities in Texas and the nation to follow suit to put up similar monuments in their jurisdictions.”
Commissioner Matt Krause serves Precinct 3, which covers northeast Tarrant County.
