Union County - American Courthouses

Union County is named for the Federal Union showing loyalty to the national government.

Surrounding County Courthouses:

N – Cherokee County, North Carolina and Clay County, North Carolina

E – Towns County and White County

S – Lumpkin County

W – Fannin County

Created: December 3, 1832

County Seat:

Blairsville 1832 – present

Old County Courthouse – Blairsville

Location: 1 Town Square / Paul Haralson Memorial Drive

Built: 1898 – 1899

Style: Romanesque Revival

Architect: Golucke & Stewart

Contractor: M B McGinty

Description: The building faces northwest and is a two story red colored brick and stone structure. The building is located on landscaped grounds of the Town Square in the center of Blairsville. The northwest front has a one story porch with stone trimmed arched entrance. On either side are projecting sections which rise to peaks at the roof line. Above the central front is a high square bell tower with clock and steep roof at the top. The roof is hipped with intersecting gables. In the interior, the building has a cross hallway plan on the first story. The second story contains the large former courtroom which has a pressed metal ceiling and gallery.

See: The architect, James Wingfield Golucke of Atlanta designed many courthouses and jails in Georgia and the courthouse plan designed by James Wingfield Golucke & Company is similar to the courthouses in Baker County, Henry County, Jones County and Schley County.

See: National Register of Historic Places – Union County Courthouse

County Courthouse – Blairsville

Location: 65 Courthouse Street / Paul Haralson Memorial Drive

Built: 1975 – 1976

Style: Modern

Architect: Reynolds, Bailey, Vroom

Contractor: Corb Collins

Description: The building faces southeast and is a two story dark brown colored brick, glass and cencrete structure. The building is located on landscaped grounds to the southwest of the center of Blairsville. The building has a main entrance at the second story on the southeast front and the building descends down a slope towards the northwest with a first story entrance on the northwest side. Large glass windows are located on the along the east side and northwest sides. The roof line is flat. In the interior the hallways run southeast-northwest with stairs at the northwest side. The two County Superior Court courtroom are located on the northeast side of the second story. The original building was a one story rectangular structure on the southeast side. In 1978 a judicial wing with courtroom was added on the northeast side. The architect was Pope/Petterfer and the contractor was Corb Collins. The building was extended northwest in 2004 to 2005 creating the two story structure with glass paneled entrance on the northwest side. The architect was Rosser International and the contractor was Merritt Construction.

See: The 9th Judicial District includes Cherokee County, Dawson County, Fannin County, Forsyth County, Gilmer County, Gwinnett County, Habersham County, Hall County, Lumpkin County, Pickens County, Rabun County, Stephens County, Towns County and White County.

History: The county was created in 1832 and Blairsville was selected as the county seat. The first court was held at the house of Isaac N Greer. He first courthouse was a log structure built in Blairsville after 1832 and burned in 1859. The second courthouse was a two story brick structure built in 1859. The building was destroyed by fire in 1898. The third courthouse was constructed in 1898 to 1899 and is still standing. The fourth and present courthouse was constructed in 1975 to 1976.

Old County Jail – Blairsville

Location: 62 Blue Ridge Street / Merchants Walk

Built: 1934

Style: Federal

Architect: Unknown

Contractor: Unknown

Description: The building faces southeast and is a two story buff colored stone and concrete structure. The rectangular shaped building is located on landscaped grounds in the center of Blairsville to the northwest of the old courthouse. A one story porch extends across the front façade and is supported by square tapered wood columns set on square rock piers. There are three doors. The roof is hipped. In the interior there is a central hall which contains a staircase. The former jail was located on the second story. The building now serves as the City Hall.

See: National Register of Historic Places – Old Union County Jail

Note: The highest point in Georgia is Brasstown Bald Mountain at 4784 feet ( 1458 meters ) which is located in the county.