Lady Justice
A top Bee County Courthouse

"Enlightened" Lady Justice START	Photos
Ceremony The Raising of Lady Justice Resetting Lady Justice Move from Prosperity Bank   Courthouse Bee County  WC Stephenson	Restoration: Pre Post Close-Up Bob Butts ALL Paul Gerdes: ALL 2 3 4 Teresa Holland: ALL 2 3 Video on BISD site Part 1 (2.55 MB) Part 2 (1.75 MB) Short Movie (52 MB) In Guanajuato, Mexico?

The sculpture was removed from the dome of the Courthouse and transported to Dallas, Texas, where John Dennis, of the Dallas Museum of Art, restored her.  The "pre-restoration" pictures were taken at their shop in February 2001 and she was completed by July 2001. 

The "Enlightened Justice", as Mr. Stephenson himself called her was a work that he was very proud of. In a Corpus Christi Caller-Times article by Travis Moorman published in about 1953, he was asked to reminisce on the work. He had this to say:

"..(She) represents an "enlightened Justice - a representation of what Justice should be."

The article further says:
"Now the blindfold on the usual justice is a fine theoretical way of representing impartiality in meting out justice. But, from a practical standpoint, Stephenson thinks the lady should have both eyes open to see who might be trying to tip her scales one way or the other.  The Bee County figure of Justice carries no scales. In the right hand is the torch of knowledge and in her left, a staff with the "scroll of records" attached to it..."

"Stephenson said he made the clay model for the statue here in Beeville (note by Paul Gerdes - 1708 North Madison, now razed) and sent it to St. Louis where it was cast in copper (note by Paul Gerdes; the statue is actually made from zinc - and was painted with a coating that resembled copper at the time, or nearly as it appears today.  I don't think he ever knew it was made of zinc and not copper).  The company that completed the figure asked and got Stephenson's permission to make copies of his work.  There may be other "Stephenson Justices" scattered about the country, but he never took the time to check and see where they were placed."

The entire article is posted on the W.C. Stephenson webpage.