Pierce County - American Courthouses

Pierce County is named for Franklin Pierce, who was the fourteenth president of the United States of America and who lived from 1804 to 1869.

Surrounding County Courthouses:

N – Bacon County and Appling County

E – Wayne County and Brantley County

S – Brantley County

W – Ware County

Created: December 18, 1857

County Seat:

Blackshear 1857 – present

County Courthouse – Blackshear

Location: 3550 West Highway 84 / Gordon Street

Built: 1902 – 1903

Style: Neo-Classical Revival

Architect: James Wingfield Golucke & Company of Atlanta

Contractor: George A Clayton

Description: The building faces southeast and is a two story red colored brick and concrete structure. The building is located on landscaped grounds in the center of Blackshear. The brick is in several shades of red with pink and white colored mortar. Colossal pilasters with stone trim alternate with square and round arched stone trimmed windows. The southeast front has two large metal Corinthian columns rising to a pediment at the roof line. The entrance is recessed with an arched window above on the second story. The corners of the building project slightly. A wide cornice runs below the roof line. The interior features a small rotunda and the courtroom on the second story has been tastefully redone. The original metal ceiling was replaced with acoustical tile, but the judge’s bench with its pediment and flanking Ionic gold colored trimmed pilasters remain. A soft blue-grey color has been used for walls, draperies and carpet. The original balusters between the litigation and spectator sections remain; the design is repeated in the balusters of the staircase leading to the courtroom. The building houses the County Superior Court, State Court, County Juvenile Court, County Probate Court and County Magistrates Court of the 1st Judicial District. The architect was James Wingfield Golucke & Company of Atlanta and the contractor was George A Clayton. A rear addition was added in 1975. To the south is the old County Jail built in 1894.

See: The architect, James Wingfield Golucke of Atlanta designed many courthouses and jails in Georgia.

See: National Register of Historic Places – Pierce County Courthouse

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

Old County Courthouse – Blackshear

Location: 207 Park Avenue / Main Street

Built: 1875

Style: Colonial / Classical Revival

Architect: Unknown

Contractor: Unknown

Description: The building faces northwest and is a two story white colored wood frame structure. The building is located on landscaped grounds in the center of Blackshear to the south of the courthouse. The front has a large two story porch supported by four large white colored pillars. There is a balcony on the second story. The roof is hipped. The interior has high wood doors and twelve foot ceilings. The building is called Belvin Home.

History: The county was created in 1857 and Blackshear was designated as the county seat. The first court met at the house of Nancy Stewart. The first courthouse was built in 1858 and burned in 1875. The second courthouse was built in 1875. The third and present courthouse was constructed in 1902 to 1903.

Old County Jail – Blackshear

Location: 113 Taylor Avenue / Park Avenue

Built: 1894

Style: Romanesque

Architect: Pauly Jail Building and Manufacturing Company of St. Louis, Missouri

Contractor: Pauly Jail Building and Manufacturing Company of St. Louis, Missouri

Description: The building faces west and is a two story red colored brick structure. The rectangular shaped building is located in the center of Blackshear and. has a tower on the front. The cost of construction was $4,992.