Fayette County is named for Gilbert du Motier, Marquis de La Fayette, who was a French general and politician and who fought in the American Revolutionary War.
Surrounding County Courthouses:
N – Fulton County
E – Clayton County and Spalding County
S – Spalding County
W – Coweta County
Created: May 15 1821 ![]()
County Seat:
Fayette 1821 – present
County Courthouse – Fayette
Location: 1 Center Drive / Jimmie Mayfield Boulevard
Built: 2001 – 2003
Style: Modern
Architect: Ingram Parris Group, Inc. and Summerous Associates. Inc.
Contractor: Ray Bell Construction Company
Description: The building faces northeast and is a three story brown colored brick and concrete structure. The building is located on spacious landscaped grounds with fountain on the north side in the center of Fayette. The north front has a projecting center section with large glass arch at the entrance and rising to a rounded green colored dome and green colored roof at the roof line. The middle section has a columned canopy along the first story. The building extends south to a wider section with flat roof line. The interior has a large open atrium. The building is named as the Fayette County Justice Center.
See: The 6th Judicial District includes Butts County, Carroll County, Clayton County, Coweta County, Heard County, Henry County, Lamar County, Meriwether County, Monroe County, Pike County, Spalding County, Troup County and Upson County.
Old County Courthouse – Fayette
Location: Stonewall Avenue West / Glynn Street South
Built: 1825 – 1831
Style: Vernacular with Second Empire
Architect: Finley G Stewart
Contractor: Finley G Stewart
Description: The building faces south and is a three story white colored brick structure. The building is located on the spacious grounds of the Courthouse Square in the center of Fayette. The south front has a high square brick tower with clock and rounded dome at the top. The building was remodeled in 1888 when the clock tower was constructed and the clock was installed in 1910.. The contractor was Benefield-Guthrie. The building was renovated in 1965. Further renovation was completed in 1983 and 1984 after a fire on third story. The building is occupied by the Fayette County Chamber of Commerce and the Fayette County Development Authority.
See: The courthouse ( 1825 ) is the second oldest courthouse still standing in Georgia. The oldest courthouse is Old Government House ( 1801 ) located in Richmond County. The third oldest courthouse ( 1832 ) is located in Crawford County. The fourth oldest courthouse ( 1836 ) is located in Lumpkin County.
Former County Courthouse – Fayette
Location: 155 Johnson Avenue / Jimmie Mayfield Boulevard
Built: 1983 – 1985
Style: Modern
Architect: Lamberson, Plunkett, Shirley & Woodall
Contractor: Arco Builders Inc.
Description: The building faces north and is a one story white colored concrete and glass structure. Ther building is located on landscaped grounds in the center of Fayette. There are concrete columns around the exterior wall and narrow horizontal windows. The roof line is flat. The building is now the Office of the Sheriff and is located near the new courthouse.
History: The county was created in 1821 and Fayette was selected as the county seat. The building is the second oldest standing courthouse in Georgia and served as courthouse from 1825 to 1983. Along the sidewalk is a 58 foot hand-hewn beam which was removed from the building and is now used as a bench, giving the courthouse the “world’s longest courthouse bench”. A fire in 1982 destroyed the roof and clock tower. Repairs were completed in 1983. The second courthouse was constructed in 1983 to 1985. The third and present courthouse was constructed in 2001 to 2003.
County Courthouse – Fayette
County Superior Court courtroom
Old County Courthouse – Fayette
Longest courthouse bench
Former County Courthouse – Fayette
Photos taken 2010 and 2018
