Travis County's first purpose-built courthouse was a modest two-story stone structure built in 1855 near Republic Square in downtown Austin.

The second Travis County Courthouse was a three-story limestone building designed in a monumental Second Empire style, built along the south side of the Texas State Capitol.

The county's needs outgrew this building, too, and in 1931 it was replaced by the current courthouse, after which it was used as office space for Texas state agencies and then finally demolished in 1964.

[5] In December 1972, twelve inmates brought suit against the county, alleging that the conditions in the then 280-person jail on the top two floors of the courthouse constituted cruel and unusual punishment.

[14] Coincidentally, the lawsuit that ultimately resulted in the closure of the jail was filed the same year as Ruiz v. Estelle, whose plaintiff, Austinite David Ruiz, alleged cruel and unusual punishment in the TDCJ Wynne Unit of Huntsville, Texas[15] In the early 2010s, as population growth in Travis County continued to strain the courthouse's capacity, the county made plans to replace the 1931 courthouse with a new, still larger facility.

Its design exemplifies the PWA Moderne architectural style of many Great Depression-era public buildings, with its symmetrical rectangular forms, recessed vertical window bays, and smooth stonework exterior decorated with neoclassical flourishes and geometric detailing.

The building was designed by the firm of local architect Charles Henry Page (well known for his work on other Texas courthouses of the period).

[1] The original main entry (now closed for security reasons) is in the east facade, where a staircase leads from street level up to bronze doors within a projecting doorframe, with an elaborately carved lintel depicting a judge releasing shackled prisoners to a celebrating crowd.