Dawson County - American Courthouses

Dawson County is named for William C Dawson, who was a noted lawyer, soldier, United States Representative and United States Senator.

Surrounding County Courthouses:

N – Gilmer County

E – Lumpkin County and Hall County

S – Forsyth County

W – Cherokee County and Pickens County

Created: December 3, 1857

County Seat:

Dawsonville 1857 – present

County Courthouse – Dawsonville

Location: Courthouse Square / Main Street

Built: 1858 – 1860

Style: Vernacular and Carpenter

Architect: Wesley McGuire, Henderson Wilson and John Hockenhull

Contractor: Wesley McGuire, John Hockenhull and Henderson Wilson

Description: The building faces south and is a two story red colored brick and wood structure. The building is located on landscaped grounds of the Courthouse Square in the center of Dawsonville. The south front has a central entrance. There is a central entrance on north side with small porch. The windows have shutters. The roof is hipped. In the interior, the hallway runs north-south with wood stairs ascending to the second story. On the east side is the former courtroom with wood fixtures. An addition with flat roof line was constructed in 1958 on the west side. The building was renovated in 1989 to 1990. On the northwest side is the old red colored brick County Jail built in 1881.

See: The courthouse is similar to the early Carpenter Style in North Georgia as seen in the courthouses in Dade County and White County.

See: National Register of Historic Places – Dawson County Courthouse and Jail

County Government Center – Dawsonville

Location: 25 Tucker Avenue / Shoal Creek Road

Built: 2009 – 2011

Style: Modern

Architect: Rosser International

Contractor: Winter Construction

Description: The building faces east and is a four story brown colored brick and concrete structure. The building is located on landscaped grounds in the center of Dawsonville to the west of the old courthouse. The east front has a projecting center section with arches along the first story and four pillars rising from the second story to a wide pediment at the fourth story. The first story has cream colored facing. A cream colored band runs below at eave at the roof line. On the center of the roof is a large octagonal dome with black colored roof. Small three story wings project on the north and south sides. In the interior is a large rotunda extending to the top of the second story. On the fourth story the interior of the octagonal dome rises with surrounding windows. The building has four courtrooms. The building houses the County Superior Court, County Juvenile Court, County Probate Court and County Magistrate Court of the 9th Judicial District. The building is the Dawson County Government Center.

See: The 9th Judicial District includes Cherokee County, Fannin County, Forsyth County, Gilmer County, Gwinnett County, Habersham County, Hall County, Lumpkin County, Pickens County, Rabun County, Stephens County, Towns County, Union County and White County.

History: The county was created in 1857 and Dawsonville was selected as the county seat. Originally, in May of 1858, plans were underway to contract with Wesley McGuire, John Hockenhull and Henderson Wilson to build a 50 foot by 30 foot wooden structure with four gables, windowsills, and steps. Then in August of 1858, by orders of a grand jury, the plans were changed to enlarge the building to 54 feet by 38 feet with two gables constructed with brick, granite, soapstone, and marble. The jail was built in 1881 after the 1859 jail burned. The second courthouse was a two story structure designed by Bailey Allegret and constructed by Ledbetter Brothers Company in 1978, and was built a block north of the old courthouse. The building was torn down in 2011. The third and present County Government Center was constructed in 2009 to 2011.