Effingham County - American Courthouses

Effingham County is named for Francis Howard, 1st Earl of Effingham, who was a British noble sympathetic to the American colony.

Surrounding County Courthouses:

N – Screven County and Hampton County, South Carolina

E – Jasper County, South Carolina

S – Chatham County

W – Bryan County and Bulloch County

Created: February 5, 1777

County Seat:

Tuckasee-King 1784 – 1787

Elberton 1787 – 1797

Ebenezer 1797 – 1799

Springfield 1799 – present

County Judicial Complex – Springfield

Location: 700 North Pine Street / Franklin Street

Built: 2004 – 2007

Style: Modern

Architect: Lott & Barber Architects

Contractor: LPS Construction Inc.

Description: The building faces northeast and is a three story red colored brick, stone and concrete structure. The building is located on landscaped grounds ito the north of the center of Springfield. The building has a large portico supported by six large columns. Above the portico is a rounded section. The eave projects from the building. In the interior, there is a high entrance lobby with stairs ascending to the third story. There are is one courtroom on the first story, two courtrooms on the second story and two County Superior Court courtrooms on the third story. The building is named as the Effingham County Judicial Complex. The building houses the County Superior Court, County State Court, County Juvenile Court, County Probate Court and County Magistrate Court of the 1st Judicial District.

County Courthouse – Springfield

Location: 901 North Pine Street / Jackson Street

Built: 1908 – 1909

Style: Neo-Classical Revival / Palladian

Architect: H W Witcover

Contractor: F B Heifner

Description: The building faces southwest and is a two story red colored brick, wood and concrete structure. The building is located on landscaped grounds to the north of the center of Springfield. The building has Palladian adaptations and has a large portico supported by six large white columns supporting a pediment at the roof line. In the center is hexagonal tower with flat ballus traded dome. The roof is flat. In the interior is a rotunda and hallway leading to the rear of the building. The courtroom is located on the second story and has a coved ceiling which is divided by beams into 25 panels of varying sizes. The balcony remains open. The judge’s bench is simple and is framed by coupled pilasters topped with a pediment. A paneled dado encircles the room. The The building is now used as court offices.. To the north is the old two story red colored brick County Jail built in 1935.

See: National Registyer of Historic Places – Effingham County Courthouse / Old County Jail

See: The old County Jail was built on the northwest corner of the courthouse square in 1935 to replace a simpler wood frame structure that was located at the corner of Pine Street and Early Street. An early project of the New Deal agency known as the Public Works Administration, the jail was designed in the Colonial Revival style by Savannah architect Walter P Marshall, with the jail hardware done by Dalton’s Manly Jail Works. As was customary for the time, the structure housed the sheriff’s family on the first floor and inmates on the second floor.

See: The 1st Judicial District includes Appling County, Bacon County, Brantley County, Bulloch County, Bryan County, Camden County, Charlton County, Chatham County, Coffee County, Evans County, Glynn County, Jeff Davis County, Jenkins County, Liberty County, Long County, McIntosh County, Pierce County, Screven County, Tattnall County, Ware County and Wayne County.

Note: The first state constitution in 1777 created eight counties: Burke County, Camden County, Chatham County, Effingham County, Glynn County, Liberty County, Richmond County and Wilkes County. These were carved out of the coastal areas that were settled when Georgia was a British colony.

History: The county was created in 1777 and Tuckasee-King was selected as the county seat in 1784 when the county was organized. In 1787 the county seat was moved to Elberton and then to Ebenezer in 1797. The first courthouse was built in Ebenezer in 1798 but it was ordered that the court meet at the home of James Wilson until the county seat was determined. The county seat was moved to Springfield in 1799. The second courthouse was built in Springfield in 1816. The third courthouse was built in 1849. The fourth courthouse was constructed in 1908 to 1909 and is still standing. The fifth and present courthouse was constructed in 2004 to 2006.