Columbia County - American Courthouses

Columbia County is named for Christopher Columbus, who was the first European explorer in the Americas.

Surrounding County Courthouses:

N –Lincoln County

E – McCormick County, South Carolina and Edgefield County, South Carolina

S – Richmond County

W – McDuffie County

Created: December 10, 1790

County Seat:

Cobbham 1790 – 1792

Klokee 1792 – 1793

Appling 1793 – present

County Courthouse – Appling

Location: 1958 Appling Harlem Road / Scotts Ferry Road

Built: 1856 – 1857

Style: Carpenter and Italianate

Architect: John Towbridge

Contractor: John Towbridge

Description: The building faces east and is a two story red colored brick structure. The building is located on landscaped grounds in the center of Appling. The building has a small porch in the center of the first story. There are white stone headers above the windows and green shutters. A one story detached wing is along the southwest side. The roof is hipped. The County Superior Court courtroom is located on the second story. The building houses the County Superior Court of the 10th Judicial District. The building was renovated in 2006. The architect was Hartley and Associates of Augusta and the contractor was Heavener Construction of Augusta. On the south side is the County Probate Court Building and on the north side across the road is the Old County Jail built in 1934.

See: National Register of Historic Places – Columbia County Courthouse

County Justice Center – Evans

Location: 640 Ronald Regan Drive / Evans Town Center Boulevard

Built: 1999 – 2002

Style: Modern

Architect: Rosser International, Inc.

Contractor: CCI Construction Corporation

Description: The building faces east and is a two story red colored brick and concrete structure. The building is located on landscaped grounds on the north side of the center of Evans. The east front has a large central portico with six high white colored columns and three white colored framed entrances. The north and south wings project from the main building. A white colored horizontal belt runs below the roof line. On the center of the roof is a white colored cupola. The roof is hipped. In the interior is a large entrance lobby rising to the top of the second story. Stairs ascend to the second story where four County Superior Court courtrooms are located. The building houses the County Superior Court, County Juvenile Court, County Probate Court and County Magistrate Court of the 10th Judicial District. The building is named as the Columbia County Justice Center and Courthouse Annex. On the south side is the Government Complex with Buildings A, B and C.

County Government Center – Evans

Location: 640 Ronald Regan Drive / Evans Town Center Boulevard

Built: 1993 – 1994

Style: Modern

Architect: VCR R Architects

Contractor: Two State Construction Company

Description: The building faces east and is a two story red colored brick and concrete structure. The building is located on landscaped grounds on the north side of the center of Evans and on the south side of the County Justice Center. The building has vertical and horizontal bands with red colored brick between. The building served as the courthouse until the Justice Center was completed in 2002. The building was renovated in 2003. The architect was The Hinman Architectural Group and the contractor was R W Allen & Associates, Inc. An addition was constructed in 2013. The architect was Johnson, Laschober & Associates and the contractor was Clifton Construction, Inc. The building is Building B with Building A on the west side and Building C on the east side.

See: The 10th Judicial District includes Banks County, Barrow County, Burke County, Clarke 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 1790 and Cobbham was selected as the county seat. The first courthouse was built in Kiokee in 1791 and the county seat was moved there in 1792. The second courthouse was built in Appling in 1793. The third courthouse was built in 1812. The fourth and present courthouse was constructed on the same site in 1856 to 1857 using the wood doors from the previous courthouse. In 1999 to 2001, the County Justice Center was constructed in Evans.