Fayette County is named for Marie Joseph Paul Lafayette, who was a French general who fought in the American Revolutionary War and who lived from 1757 to 1834.
Surrounding County Courthouses:
N – Montgomery County and Shelby County
E – Effingham County and Clay County
S – Marion County and Clinton County
W – Bond County and Montgomery County
Created: February 14, 1821 
County Seat:
Vandalia 1821 – present
County Courthouse – Vandalia
Location: 221 South 7th Street / West Gallatin Street
Built: 1859
Style: Georgian Revival
Architect: Frederick Remann
Contractor: Frederick Remann
Description: The building faces east and is a two story red colored brick structure. The building sits on the top of a small hill on landscaped grounds in the center of Vandalia. The southeast corner has a wood porch with double wood columns. On the south side is a bay window. The windows of the older section are arched. The roof line has several peaks with white eaves. In the interior, the courtroom is located on the second story. The building houses the County Circuit Court of the 4th Judicial Circuit. In 1922, the county purchased the Remann Home and in 1932 and 1933, the building was renovated for use as the courthouse. An addition was added on the north side and in 1993, and a newer addition added on the west side.
Old County Courthouse (Statehouse) – Vandalia
Location: 315 West Gallatin Street / South 4th Street
Built: 1836
Style: Federalist and Greek Revival style
Architect: David B. Waterman and Company; William Hodge; John Taylor and Company; John Hull; the Lee brothers; Thomas B. Hickman; Maddox, Waterman and Company; Johnson and Graves; William Linn; and William Greenup.
Contractor: David B. Waterman and Company; William Hodge; John Taylor and Company; John Hull; the Lee brothers; Thomas B. Hickman; Maddox, Waterman and Company; Johnson and Graves; William Linn; and William Greenup.
Description: The building faces south and is a two story white colored brick structure. The building is located on spacious landscaped grounds in the center of Vandalia and served as the fourth Statehouse from 1836 to 1839. There are large porticos on the north and south sides supported by four large pillars. The Supreme Court Chamber is on the first story and the House of Representatives and the Senate Chamber are on the second story.
Note: The architect and the contractor was David B. Waterman and Company; William Hodge; John Taylor and Company; John Hull; the Lee brothers; Thomas B. Hickman; Maddox, Waterman and Company; Johnson and Graves; William Linn; and William Greenup. Local merchants, such as Linn, James Black, Ebenezer Capps, Robert Blackwell, Charles Prentice, Robert McLaughlin, and Frederick Remann provided tools and materials. Moses Phillips made a table, and Winslow Pilcher hauled lumber to the public square.
See: The 4th Judicial District includes Christian County, Clay County, Clinton County, Effingham County, Jasper County, Marion County, Montgomery County and Shelby County.
History: The county was created in 1821 and Vandalia was selected as the county seat in 1821. The first offices were located in a schoolhouse. In 1836, the first courthouse was the then the recently built Statehouse left empty as the capitol of Illinois was moved to Springfield. The second and present courthouse is a remodeled farm house purchased in 1922 and remodeled in 1932 at a cost of $22,402. and occupied in 1933..
County Courthouse – Vandalia
Old County Courthouse (Statehouse) – Vandalia
Photos taken 2008 and 2012