Fulton County - American Courthouses

Fulton County is named for Robert Fulton, who was the inventor of the first successful steamboat, and who lived from 1765 to 1815.

Surrounding County Courthouses:

N – Mississippi County, Missouri and Hickman County

E – Hickman County

S – Obion County, Tennessee and Lake County, Tennessee

W – New Madrid, Missouri

Created: January 15, 1845

County Seat:

Hickman 1845 – present

County Courthouse – Hickman

Location: 114 East Wellington Street / East Moulton Street

Built: 1901 – 1903

Style: Beaux Arts

Architect: Frank Pierce Milburn of Washington DC

Contractor: W J Spradlin of Fulton County

Description: The building faces east and is a two story red colored brick and concrete structure. The building is located on landscaped grounds in the center of Hickman. The east front has a center section with brick supported portico on the first story, and four arched windows on the second story. The third story has three small windows and a Dutch style peak. On the northeast is an octagonal brick tower with clock and steep roof at the top. On the southeast is a smaller octagonal brick tower with steep roof. Two of the towers contain elegantly curved spiral cast-iron staircases that lead directly to the courtroom above. Much of the original vertical tongue-in-groove wainscoting is intact, although the original cast-iron supports in the courtroom have been encased in artificial pine paneling. There is a courtroom in the center of the second story and the Circuit Court courtroom is located at the center of the third story. The building houses the County Circuit Court and County District Court of the 1st Judicial Circuit. The building was restored from 1990 to 1991. The architect was Chrisman-Miller-Woodford, Inc. of Lexington and the contractor was Lashlee-Rich, Inc. of Humboldt, Tennessee.

See: The architect Frank Pierce Milburn of Washington, DC.

See: National Register of Historic Places – Fulton County Courthouse

See: The 1st Judicial Circuit includes Ballard County, Carlisle County and Hickman County.

Old County Jail – Hickman

Location: 204 Clinton Street / Carroll Street

Built: 1914

Style: Jail

Architect: W J Spradlin and Son of Fulton County

Contractor: W J Spradlin and Son of Fulton County

Description: The building faces west and is a two story white colored brick, wood and concrete Jail style structure. The building faces west and was completed in 1914. The building is located on landscaped grounds in the center of Hickman to the north of the courthouse. The building is “L” shaped with a hipped roof.

History: The county was created in 1845 and Hickman was selected as the county seat. The first courthouse was a small frame structure erected in 1845. The second and present courthouse was constructed in 1901 to 1903 at a cost of $20,700 plus $500 for red colored mortar.

Note: The lowest point in Kentucky is the Mississippi River at 250 feet ( 78 meters ) which is located in the county.