McDuffie County is named for George McDuffie, who was the thirteenth governor of South Carolina and a United States Senator.
Surrounding County Courthouses:
N – Wilkes County and Lincoln County
E – Columbia County
S – Richmond County and Jefferson County
W – Warren County
Created: October 18, 1870 
County Seat:
Thomson 1870 – present
County Courthouse – Thomson
Location: 337 Main Street / McDuffie Avenue
Built: 1872 – 1873
Style: Federal
Architect: James B Knox of Union Point, Georgia
Contractor: James B Knox of Union Point, Georgia
Description: The building faces south and is a two story red colored brick structure. The building is located on spacious landscaped grounds in the center of Thomson and has protruding east and west sections. Along the front are vertical concrete bands rising to the top of the second story windows. The entrance is framed in white wood trim. A white projecting cornice runs below the roof line. In 1930, the building was enlarged and wings added. The building was renovated in 1970. The architect was Dort B Payne and the contractor was Griffin-Carter Construction Company, Inc. The building ceased to function as a courthouse when the Government Center was completed.
County Government Center – Thomson
Location: 210 Railroad Street / Greenway Street
Built: 2009 – 2011
Style: Modern
Architect: Rosser International Inc.
Contractor: R W Allen
Description: The building faces southwest and is a three story red colored brick, glass and concrete structure. The building is surrounded by spacious landscaped grounds in the center of Thomson. The southwest front has a two story portico with four columns rising to a wide header. Behind the portico, the center section rises above the roof line. The south and north corners have projecting corner sections. The windows are vertical with panels between the first and second stories. The roof line is flat. On the north side is the rectangular two story Administration Building which is connected by a one story section to the courthouse on the east side. The building is named as the Thomas-McDuffie County Government Center. The program manager was Judson Bryant Associates.
See: The 10th Judicial District includes Banks County, Barrow County, Burke County, Clarke County, Columbia County, Elbert County, Franklin County, Glascock County, Hart County, Jackson County, Lincoln County, Madison County, Newton County, Oconee County, Oglethorpe County, Richmond County, Taliaferro County, Walton County, Warren County and Wilkes County.
History: The county was created in 1870 and Thomson was selected as the county seat. The first court met on the first two stories of the Masonic building. The first courthouse was constructed in 1872 to 1873 and is still standing. The second and present courthouse was constructed in 2009 and 2011 and is the County Government Center.
County Courthouse – Thomson
Former Courtroom
County Government Center – Thomson
County Superior Court courtroom
Photos taken 2008, 2014 and 2020