Marengo County - American Courthouses

Marengo County is named for the Battle of Marengo, which was fought on June 14, 1800 between the French forces and Austrian forces near Alessandria in Italy.

Surrounding County Courthouses:

N – Greene County and Hale County

E – Perry County, Dallas County and Wilcox County

S – Clarke County

W – Choctaw County and Sumter County

Created: February 6, 1818

County Seat:

Linden 1818 – 1868

Demopolis 1868 – 1871

Linden 1871 – present

County Courthouse – Linden

Location: 101 East Coats Avenue / Main Street

Built: 1966 – 1968

Style: Modern

Architect: Sherlock, Smith & Adams, Inc. of Montgomery

Contractor: C F Halstead Contractor Inc.

Description: The building faces south and is a two story yellow colored brick and concrete structure. The rectangular shaped building with rectangular shaped north wing is located on landscaped grounds in the center of Linden. The south front has a large portico in the center supported by six square brick pillars with clock and pediment above at the roof line. The roof is hipped. In the interior, the hallways are lined with marble. The large County Circuit Court courtroom is located on the west side of the 1st story. There is a small courtroom on the north side of the 2nd story. The building houses the County Circuit Court of the 17th Judicial Circuit and the County District Court and County Probate Court. The building was renovated in 2006. The architect was Goodwyn, Mills & Cawood Inc. of Montgomery and the contractor was Lovelady Construction Company, Inc. of Selma. On the east side is a two story rectangular shaped County Office Building.

Note: The architect, Sherlock, Smith & Adams, Inc. of Montgomery, designed courthouses in DeKalb County, Geneva County and Monroe County.

Old County Courthouse – Linden

Location: Cahaba Avenue / Mobile Street

Built: 1849 – 1850

Style: Greek Revival

Architect: Town & Doc Davis

Contractor: Town & Doc Davis

Description: The building faces north and is a two story yellow colored brick and wood structure. The building is located on spacious landscaped grounds to the northwest of the center of Linden. The north front has a recessed porch with two large while colored columns.

See: The 17th Judicial Circuit includes Greene County and Sumter County.

History: The county was created in 1818 and Linden was selected as the county seat. The first courthouse was a log cabin in 1818. The second courthouse was a two story structure built on Cahaba Avenue in Linden in 1827. The courthouse burned in 1848. The third courthouse was built in 1849 to 1850 and is still standing in Linden. The county seat was moved to Demopolis in 1869 and the Presbyterian Church on the public square, now known as Rooster Hall, was purchased as the fourth courthouse for the sum of $3000. The county seat was returned to Linden in 1871 and the third courthouse was used. The fifth courthouse was a three story Ricahardsonian Romanesque structure designed by Frank Lockwood and constructed by Dobson & Hand in 1901 at the corner of North Main Street and East Coats. The sixth and present courthouse was constructed in 1966 to 1968.

Old County Courthouse – Demopolis

Location: 216 North Walnut Avenue / West Capitol Street

Built: 1843

Style: Church

Architect: Member of the Presbyterian Church of Demopolis.

Contractor: Members of the Presbyterian Church of Demopolis.

Description: The building faces east and is a one story white colored brick and wood structure. The rectangular shaped building is located on spacious landscaped grounds of the Public Square in the center of Demopolis. The east front has a central arch with recessed entrance. The building has a hipped roof and was originally erected as a Presbyterian church. Above the east front is an open white colored bell tower. The building served as the county courthouse from 1868 to 1871 and is named as Rooster Hall. In 1869 to 1870, on the south side, a two story white colored brick building was erected and now serves as the Demopolis City Hall.