Picture it. McKinney, 2007. It was a cool-for-Texas autumn evening. The crowds were gathered into the courtroom. Anticipation was in the air. The crowd's murmurs blended into a pleasant caucophony. As I sat on the main level, I gazed up to the balcony. Amazingly enough, there was a large group of blacks sitting in one section. My mind drifted back to the trial in To Kill a Mockingbird. I suddenly felt transported in time. If only those walls could talk.
Tonight we weren't gathered for a trial, however. We were gathered to hear Rockapella (the singers of the theme song for Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego?) perform at the McKinney Performing Arts Center, which is housed in McKinney's original courthouse.
The courthouse was originally built in 1875. Upon completion, its two stories coupled with its steep mansard roof and twin towers above the roofline on the east side made the Collin County Courthouse the tallest building in Texas north of San Antonio. How times have changed! Another story and basement were added in 1927. The courthouse was then used until 1979 when a new building was finished. Interesting sidenote, the last major trial in the courthouse involved a mistress who was aquitted for the "Lizzie Borden style" axe murder of her lover's wife.
In 2003, the empty building was then renovated and turned into the cultural mecca of McKinney. It's opening play? To Kill a Mockingbird.
PS--Just in case you were wondering. The show was fabulous!
