Washington County

US States / H-L / Illinois / Washington County
Washington

Washington County is named for George Washington, who was the first President of the United States and  Comander in Chief of the Army during the American Revolution.

 

Surrounding County Courthouses: 

N – Clinton County

E – Marion County and Jefferson County

S – Perry County and Randolph County

W – St. Clair County

 

Created:  January 2, 1818                                                          Map of Illinois highlighting Washington County

County Seat:

Covington      1818 – 1827

Georgetown   1827 – 1831

Nashville        1831 – present

 

County Courthouse – Nashville

 

Location:  101 East St. Louis Street / North East Court Street

Built:  1883 – 1884

Style:  Italianate and Second Empire

Architect:  John Seyler

Contractor:  A Hollenbeck

 

Description: The building faces south and is a two story red colored brick structure. The building is located on landscaped grounds of the Courthouse Square in the center of Nashville. The south front is a square red colored brick tower with white colored columns flanking the doorway, two long narrow windows on the second story and a round window under the white colored cornice and gables. A one story addition is on the east and west of the front tower. Behind the tower is a single window jut and behind that the main building. The corners have white colored stone trim. White colored horizontal trim divided the rough stone base from the first story. There are white colored gables and cornices at the roof line. The roof is hipped. Additions were made in 1965. The building was renovated in 2016. The architect was Image Architects and the contractor was Korte & Luirjohan Contractors.

 

County Judicial Center – Nashville

 

Location:  125 East Elm Street / North Kaskaskia Street

Built:  2015 – 2016

Style:  Modern

Architect:  Unknown

Contractor:  Unknown

 

Description: The building faces south and is a one story red colored brick and concrete structure. The building is located on landscaped grounds in the center of Nashville to the northeast of the courthouse. The south front has a projecting entrance The roof is hipped with a square cupola at the center. The building houses the County Circuit Court of the 20th Judicial Circuit.

 

See:  The 20th Judicial District includes Monroe CountyPerry County, Randolph County and St. Clair County.

 

History:  Covington was named as the first county seat in 1818. The first courthouse was a primitive structure. The county seat was moved to Georgetown in 1827. The county seat was moved to Nashville in 1831 and the second courthouse was a frame structure erected by Thomas L Moore in 1831 and used until 1840. The third courthouse was built in 1840 at a cost of $4,385. The courthouse burned in 1883. The fourth and present courthouse was constructed in 1883 to 1884 at a cost of $24,000.

 

 

            

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County Courthouse – Nashville

 

 

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Photos taken 2007 and 2012