The north side of the Square begins and ends with James Ranck. Ranck saw the need for a hotel to serve the town he was trying so hard to build, so he built the Mason House Hotel. This is one of the oldest buildings on the Square, dating to perhaps 1870. Used in the past as apartments, it was owned by Sue and Keith Kaan who renovated the building and used it as their private residence before selling it to Claire Bell. The former lobby has a six-foot mantel and opens onto the front south room via a huge double door. The walls are 18ft thick.

A long narrow room north of the lobby was used as the hotel dining room; stories are told of outlaws enjoying-and straining-the hospitality. Other buildings were part of this complex when it was a stage stop on the line from San Antonio: a schoolroom, a shoe shop, stables, and pens. The livery stable still remains, the small building to the east.

Cross Ft. McKavitt Street to the northeast corner of the courthouse wall and stand behind the yellow curb by the flags and the Mason County Veterans Memorial. If you feel a sudden chill as you stand here, it may not be the effect of salubrious breezes wafting from Comanche Creek.

This spot was once the site of the Mason County Jail, and in 1874, during the Hoodoo War, five accused rustlers were taken from the jail by a mob. Two were hanged; one was cut down before he died; another was shot; one escaped.