Green County - American Courthouses

Green County is named for Nathanael Green, who was general in the American Revolutionary War.

Surrounding County Courthouses:

N – LaRue County

E – Taylor County

S – Adair County and Metcalfe County

W – Metcalfe County, Hart County and LaRue County

Created: December 20, 1792

County Seat:

Greensburg 1792 – present

County Courthouse – Greensburg

Location: 201 West Court Street / North 1st Street

Built: 1931 – 1933

Style: Georgian

Architect: Edgar W Archer of Louisville

Contractor: Globe-Wernickle Company of Cincinnati

Description: The building faces north and is a two story red colored brick and concrete structure. The building is located on landscaped grounds on the center of Greensburg. The north front of the rectangular shaped building has a central entrance framed with white colored stone. On the second story are large arched windows with white colored stone decoration beside the east and west windows. The building is constructed on the side of a hill and the basement story descends the slope. A projecting horizontal band runs below the flat roof line. The building contains the former courtroom. On the west side is a one story addition.

County Justice Center – Greensburg

Location: 203 West Court Street / North 1st Street

Built: 2008 – 2010

Style: Modern

Architect: Brandstatter Carroll Inc. of Lexington

Contractor: Codell Construction Company of Winchester

Description: The building faces south and is a three story red colored brick and concrete structure. The building is located on landscaped grounds on the center of Greensburg to the north of the courthouse. The south front has a one story portico supported by four columns and with a balcony on the second story. The center section projects slightly and has a small balcony on the third story and with pediment at the flat roof line. The southeast and southwest corners project and rise to a pediment. On the center of the roof is a white colored octagonal cupola with green colored dome. The building houses the County Circuit Court and County District Court of the 11th Judicial Circuit.

See: The contractor was Codell Construction Company of Winchester which company constructed many courthouse in Kentucky (see Louisville).

Old County Courthouse – Greensburg

Location: SE – North Main Street / East Court Street

Built: 1802 – 1803

Style: Federal

Architect: Walter Bullock of Lexington and Daniel White of Green County

Contractor: Robert Ball, Edward Bullock, Thomas Metcalfe, Walter Bullock and Daniel Lisle

Description: The building faces north and is a two story rectangular gray limestone structure. The building is located on landscaped grounds of the Public Square in the center of Greensburg to the east of the courthouse. The north front of the rectangular shaped building has a central white colored wood framed entrance on the first story. The courtroom is located on the first story. In 1870, the small bell tower was added. The building served as the courthouse until 1931.

Note: The courthouse is the oldest public building in Kentucky. On the 21st day of June, 1802, the commissioners for Green County hired Walter Bullock of Lexington and Daniel White of Green County to build a suitable courthouse of stone. Robert Ball was in charge of the stonework. Edward J. Bullock and Daniel Lisle were the carpenters. There is some contradiction regarding who actually constructed the stone building, though many believe that Thomas “Stonehammer” Metcalfe of Virginia was the stone mason. He later became the tenth governor of Kentucky.

See: National Register of Historic Places – Old Green County Courthouse

See: The 11th Judicial Circuit includes Marion County, Taylor County and Washington County.

History: The county was created in 1792 and Greensburg was selected as the county seat. The first courthouse was a log structure built by Isham Burke in 1796 at a cost of $450. The second courthouse was a stone structure built in 1802 at a cost of $2,900 and is still standing. The third and present courthouse was constructed in 1930 to 1931. The County Judicial Center was constructed in 2008 to 2010 at a cost of $11,545,000.

Old County Clerk’s Office – Greensburg

Location: SE – 1st Alley East / East Court Street

Built: 1818

Style: Federal

Architect: Unknown

Contractor: Unknown

Description: The building faces north and is a one story rectangular gray stone structure. The building is located on landscaped grounds in the center of Greensburg to the east of the old courthouse. The north front of the rectangular shaped building has a central white colored wood framed entrance on the first story. The building is constructed of dry course limestone. The shingled roof is hipped with gable ends. The building served as the Clerk’s Office until 1842.