Emanuel County is named for David Emanuel, who was the twenty-four governor of Georgia.
Surrounding County Courthouses:
N – Jefferson County and Burke County
E – Jenkins County, Bulloch County and Candler County
S – Tattnall County and Toombs County
W – Montgomery County, Treutlen County and Johnson County
Created: December 10, 1812 
County Seat:
Swainsboro 1822 – present
County Courthouse – Swainsboro
Location: 125 South Main Street / East Moring Street
Built: 2001 – 2002
Style: Modern
Architect: James W Buckley & Associates Inc.
Contractor: Proctor Construction Company
Description: The building faces southwest and is a one story light red colored brick and concrete structure. The building is located on landscaped grounds in the center of Swainsboro and has a high center section with five high arches. The south wing is the old United States post office constructed in 1936, and it extends to the street line. A horizontal projecting band runs below the roof line. The roof line is flat with the exception of the roof over the portico which is hipped. In the interior, the large County Superior Court courtroom is located in the north wing.
Note: The courthouse was originally built as a United States post office in 1936. Later, it became a United States courthouse and served this function until a new United States courthouse was built. In the late 1990’s, Emanuel County purchased the building and made it home of the Emanuel County Superior Court, making it the county’s eighth courthouse. In 2002, the county purchased land adjacent to the old United States courthouse and began construction of a new county courthouse that would incorporate the old United States courthouse. Construction of the new courthouse was completed in 2002.
See: The 8th Judicial District includes Baldwin County, Ben Hill County, Bleckley County, Candler County, Crisp County, Dodge County, Dooly County, Greene County, Hancock County, Jasper County, Jefferson County, Johnson County, Jones County, Laurens County, Montgomery County, Morgan County, Pulaski County, Putnam County, Telfair County, Toombs County, Treutlen County, Twiggs County, Washington County, Wheeler County, Wilcox County and Wilkinson County
History: The first court met at the home of Stephen Rich. The first courthouse was erected in Swainsboro in 1814. The building burned in 1841. The second courthouse was built in 1845 by Henry Durden but burned in 1855. The third courthouse was built by J A Stevenson in 1855 but also burned in 1857. The fourth courthouse was the Daniel House. The fifth courthouse was designed by J W Golucke and constructed in 1895 and it burned in 1919. The sixth courthouse was a three story brick structure designed by Goodrich & Clark and constructed by Holly Construction in 1920. The building burned in 1938. The seventh courthouse was a two story marble structure designed by Dennis & Dennis Inc. and constructed in 1940 and demolished in 2000. The eight and present courthouse was constructed in 2001 to 2002.
County Courthouse – Swainsboro
County Superior Court courtroom
Old Post Office – Swainsboro
Photos taken 2008, 2018 and 2020