Washington County - American Courthouses

Washington County is named for George Washington, who was the first President of the United States of America.

Surrounding County Courthouses:

N – Iron County

E – Kane County

S – Mohave County, Arizona and Lincoln County, Nevada

W – Lincoln County, Nevada

Created: March 3, 1852

County Seat:

Fort Harmony 1856 – 1863

St. George 1863 – present

Old Hall of Justice – St. George

Location: 87 North 200 Street East / East 200 Street North

Built: 1980 – 1981

Style: Modern

Architect: Willard C Nelson Associates Inc.

Contractor: Warren L Hanning & Sons Construction, Ltd.

Description: The building faces west and is a two story concrete and glass structure. The building is built on the side of a low hill in the center of St. George. The entrance is on the second story and has a wide portico supported by large concrete columns. The windows are narrow and vertical. A wide concrete band follows the roof line. The building was named as the Hall of Justice.and is now the St. George City Commons.

County Courthouse – St. George

Location: 206 West Tabernacle Street / North 200 West

Built: 2007 – 2009

Style: Modern

Architect: Brent Tippets of VCBO Architects

Contractor: Oakland Construction of Salt Lake City.

Description: The building faces south and is a three story red colored sandstone, glass and concrete structure. The building is built on the landscaped grounds in the center of St. George. The building has projecting east and west wings with narrow horizontal windows and peaked roofs at the south front. There is a large portico at the center with four high white colored columns rising to a pediment at the roof line. The recessed entrance is arched with glass panels rising to the top of the third story. The roof is hipped with a white colored cupola with silver colored dome located behind the portico. The interior has five standard District courtrooms, one large District Courtroom, and two District Juvenile Courtrooms. The building is named as the Fifth District Court and Juvenile Court Courthouse.

Hall of Justice – St. George

Location: 87 North 200 Street East / East 200 Street North

Built: 1965 – 1966

Style: Modern

Architect: Unknown

Contractor: Unknown

Description: The building faces east and is a three story red colored brick, glass and concrete structure. The building is built on the landscaped grounds in the center of St. George to the northeast of the courthouse. Originally constructed as a car dealership, the building was sold to the county in 2000. On the north side brick pillars divide the large windows along the second story. The main entrance is along the east side. On the south side, the first story is at ground level with the entrance to the Justice Court. The red colored metal roof is hipped. The Justice Court is located on the third story and is housed in the County Boulevard Office Building as of 2004. The building was remodeled and renovated in 2019. The architect was MRW Design and the contractor was Watts Construction Inc.

County Administration Building – St. George

Location: 197 Tabernacle Street / South 200 Street East

Built: 1965 – 1966

Style: Modern

Architect: John S Rowley

Contractor: Carter Brothers

Description: The building faces south and is a two story fieldstone, concrete and glass structure. The building is located on landscaped grounds in the center of St. George to the east of the courthouse. The building has a central portico supported by four thin pillars and rising to the roof line. Wide yellow colored panels divide the windows on the first and second stories. The roof line has numerous north-south corrugated peaks. The building served as the second courthouse from 1966 to 1981.

Old County Courthouse – St. George

Location: 85 East 100 North Street / St. George Boulevard

Built: 1866 – 1876

Style: Federal

Architect: Miles Romney

Contractor: Jacob Gates

Description: The building faces south and is a two story salmon red colored sandstone brick, rock and wood structure. The building is located on landscaped grounds in the center of St. George to the northeast of the courthouse. The south front has a high portico with two columns rising to a pediment at the roof line. There is a small balcony above the entrance. The basement is constructed of black volcanic rock. The eaves project at the roof line. On the center of the roof is an octagonal white colored cupola. The interior has plaster-of-paris decorations and the fine woodwork. The courtroom was located on the second story and jail cells were located in the basement. The building now houses the Chamber of Commerce.

Note: During construction, the workmen were at the same time building the Latter Day Saints Tabernacle. Samuel Judd worked the lime, William Burt did the plaster and Miles Romney did the wood work as well as doing the design of the courthouse and overseeing the construction of the Tabernacle. The building plans were approved by the court committee consisting of Judge James D McCullough and the Selectmen Robert D Covington, Jacob Gates and Annon P Winsor and the contractor was Jacob Gates who supervised construction by the local trades.

See: National Register of Historic Places – Washington County Courthouse

See: The 5th Judicial District includes Beaver County and Iron County.

History: The county was created in 1852 and was attached to Iron County for administrative and judicial purposes. When the county was organized in 1856 Fort Harmony was selected as the county seat assuming all administrative and judicial functions. The county seat was moved to St. George in 1863. The county used rented premises until the first courthouse was built in 1866 to 1876. The second courthouse was constructed in 1956 to 1957. The third courthouse was constructed in 1980 to 1981 as the Hall of Justice. In 2007 to 2009, the District Court and Juvenile Court Courthouse was constructed as the fourth courthouse.

Note: The lowest point in Utah is Beaver Wash Dam at 2,200 feet ( 671 meters ) which is located in the county.