Banks County - American Courthouses

Banks County is named for Richard Banks, who was a noted Gainesville physician and surgeon.

Surrounding County Courthouses:

N – Habersham County and Stephens County

E – Franklin County

S – Madison County and Jackson County

W – Hall County

Created: February 1, 1858

County Seat:

New Lebanon 1859 – 1860

Homer 1860 – present

County Courthouse – Homer

Location: 144 Yonah Homer Road / Old Jail Street

Built: 1986 – 1987

Style: Modern

Architect: Jacobs-Architects, Inc.

Contractor: Hartley Construction Company, Inc.

Description: The building faces southwest and is a two story buff colored brick and concrete structure. The building is located on landscaped grounds in the center of Homer. The southwest front has a projecting center section with four high columns rising to a wide header with pediment rising above the roof line. A wide band runs along the flat roof line. Horizontal brick pilasters divide the windows. The building houses the County Superior Court, County Juvenile Court, County Probate Court and County Magistrate Court of the 10th Judicial District. The building was remodeled in 2009 changing the appearance of the front of the building. The architect was Pieper O’Brien Herr Architects and the contractor was Turner Construction Company. To the south is the old red colored brick County Jail built in 1900.

Old County Courthouse – Homer

Location: 106 Yonah Homer Road / Mason Street

Built: 1860 – 1863

Style: Greek Revival

Architect: Samuel W Pruitt

Contractor: Samuel W Pruitt and John Willis Pruitt

Description: The building faces southeast and is a two story red colored brick, stone and wood structure. The building is located on landscaped grounds in the center of Home to the south of the courthouse. The southeast front has a large porch supported by four brick pillars rising to white colored columns. There are stone headers above the windows. Stairs ascend on either side to the courtroom entrance on the second story. The roof is hipped. The building now serves as a museum and community meeting hall.

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

See: The 10th Judicial District includes Barrow County, Burke County, Clarke County, Columbia County, Elbert County, Franklin County, Glascock County, Hart County, Jackson County, Lincoln County, Madison County, McDuffie County, Newton County, Oconee County, Oglethorpe County, Richmond County, Taliaferro County, Walton County, Warren County and Wilkes County.

History: The county was created in 1858 and New Lebanon was selected as the county seat in 1859. In 1860, the county sea was moved to Homer. Construction of the first courthouse started in 1860, but completion was delayed due to the Civil War. Reportedly the courthouse was built with $6,600 in Confederate currency. The date of construction is carved in the wood frame of the southeast door on the first story. The second courthouse was constructed in 1986 to 1987.

Old County Jail – Homer

Location: 108 Yonah Homer Road / Old Jail Street

Built: 1906

Style: Romanesque

Architect: J .W Golucke and Company

Contractor: Atlanta Fire Proofing Company.

Description: The building faces north and is two story red colored brick, stone and wood structure. The building is located on rise with spacious landscaped grounds in the center of Homer to the south of the courthouse. There is a gothic touch in the roofline which forms a central pointed arch on the front elevation. One story porches supported by chamfered posts extend across most of the front and rear. This porch forms an “L” shape as it adjoins the frame addition with the original brick jail. The metal roof is hipped. In the interior, the jailer and family resided in four rooms on the first floor of the original brick structure and kitchen and dining rooms in the frame addition. All of these rooms have plastered walls, wooden floors, and simple mouldings and mantels. Ceilings are also plastered with the exception of the front room on the northeastern corner. Jail equipment was supplied by P J Pauly and Brother Company of St. Louis, Missouri. A one story frame addition was built in 1912.

See: The architect, James Wingfield Golucke of Atlanta designed many courthouses and jails in Georgia

See: National Register of Historic Places – Old Banks County Jail