Tallapoosa County - American Courthouses

Tallapoosa County is named for the Tallapoosa River, which was named from the Creek Native American words “Talwa posa” meaning “grandmother town”.

Surrounding County Courthouses:

N – Clay County and Randolph County

E – Chambers County and Lee County

S – Macon County

W – Elmore County and Coosa County

Created: December 18, 1832

County Seat:

Okfuskee 1832 – 1838

Dadeville 1838 – present

County Courthouse – Dadeville

Location: 125 North Broadnax Street / Columbus Street

Built: 1960 – 1961

Style: Modern

Architect: Martin J Lide of Birmingham

Contractor: Lynn H Blair

Description: The building faces east and is a four story red colored brick and concrete structure. The building is located on landscaped grounds in the center of Dadeville. The east front has a large porch rising to the top of the third story with clock in the center and has six thin pillars. The entrance on the second story is recessed with a same pediment above. The center section projects from the main building. There are two story north and south wings. The roof line is flat. In the interior there are wide hallways. The County Circuit Court courtroom is located at the southwest side of the second story. The courtroom has a high ceiling and a gallery on three sides. In the basement are the plaques for the additions to the third courthouse in 1861 and 1901 to 1903. The building houses the County Circuit Court of the 5th Judicial Circuit and the County District Court and County Probate Court.

See: The architect, Martin J Lide of Birmingham, designed courthouses in Alabama in Blount County, Cullman County, Marshall County, Saint Clair County and Wilcox County and in Tennessee in Anderson County, Roane County, Union County and White County.

See: The 5th Judicial Circuit includes Chambers County, Macon County and Randolph County.

History: The county was created in 1832 and Okfuskee was selected as the county seat. The first courthouse was a log structure erected in Okfuskee in 1833. In 1838, the county seat was moved to Dadeville. The second courthouse was a log house used until 1839 when the third courthouse, a two story brick structure was constructed. Alterations were made in 1861. The courthouse was expanded with the addition of matching clock towers designed by W Chamberlain in 1901 to 1903. Renovations were made in 1929 and 1947. The fourth and present courthouse was constructed in 1961 to 1962 and the former courthouse was torn down.

Old County Courthouse Annex – Alexander City

Location: 1 Court Square / Church Street

Built: 1939 – 1940

Style: Neo-Classical and Art Deco

Architect: Roberts & Company

Contractor: Unknown

Description: The building faces south and is a two story red colored brick and concrete structure. The building is located on landscaped grounds in the center of Alexander City. The building was constructed as a combination city hall and county courthouse. The building is “H” shaped with the center section rising higher than the east and west wings. The east front has a concrete framed entrance on the first story. The center section projects slightly with a high window on the second story. Horizontal belts run below the windows and the flat roof line. The building served as a courthouse until 2007. The building stands vacant.

Note: The architect might have been C H McCauley and the contractor W L Costou similar to the courthouse in Albertville in Marshall County.

County Courthouse Annex – Alexander City

Location: 395 Lee Street / 2nd Street

Built: 2005 – 2007

Style: Modern

Architect: KHAFRA

Contractor: J A Lett Construction

Description: The building faces west and is a one story buff colored brick and concrete structure. The building is located on spacious landscaped grounds to the south of Alexander City. The west front has a high portico with four white colored columns and pediment above. The building is shaped as a “U” with projecting south and north wings. The roof line is flat. In the interior, the County Circuit Court courtroom is located at the center of the building. The building is named as the Clinton Jackson Coley Courthouse Annex.

History: In Alexander City, the first courthouse annex and city hall was built on Court Square in 1889. The building was destroyed by fire in 1902. The second courthouse and city was built in 1903 and the third courthouse and city hall was constructed in 1939 to 1940 and is still standing. The fourth and present courthouse annex was constructed in 2005 to 2007.