Lawrence County is named for James Lawrence, who uttered the famous words “Don’t give up the ship” after being mortally wounded during the War of 1812.
Surrounding County Courthouses:
N – Monroe County and Jackson County
E – Jackson County and Washington County
S – Orange County
W – Martin County and Greene County
Created: March 1, 1818 
County Seat:
Palestine 1818 – 1825
Bedford 1825 – present
County Courthouse – Bedford
Location: 916 15th Street / I Street
Built: 1928 – 1930
Style: Neo-Classical / Italianate
Architect: Walter Scholar
Contractor: A E Kemmer
Description: The building faces east and is a three story light brown colored limestone, brick and concrete structure. The building is located on the landscaped grounds of the Courthouse Square in the center of Bedford. The building has a raised basement. The east and west wings are lower in height and extend from the main building. The center section projects and has an arched entrance on the first story rising to a balustrade across the top of the flat roof. Some of the windows are arched. In the interior, the south entrance leads to a grand staircase. On the second story is the courtroom which extends into the third story. The courtroom has marble and terrazzo flooring, wainscoting of limestone and marble and walnut woodwork. The building houses the County Circuit Court and County Superior Court of the 20th Judicial District.
Note: The 1872 courthouse was torn down while the new courthouse was being constructed due to a law dictating that the courthouse square had to hold a courthouse at all times or the ownership would revert to the heirs of the person who had deeded the land to the county.
See: National Register of Historic Places – Bedford Courthouse Squarte Historic District
See: The 20th Judicial District includes Greene County, Monroe County and Owen County.
History: The county was created in 1818 and Palestine was selected as the county seat. The court first met at the home of James Gregory at Leatherwood east of Bedford. The first courthouse was built in 1818. The second courthouse was built in 1822. In 1825 the county seat was moved to Bedford. The third courthouse was a log structure built in 1825. The fourth courthouse was built in 1934. The fifth courthouse was constructed in 1870 to 1872. The architect and the contractor was Thomas N Stevens at a cost of $75,000. The sixth and present courthouse was constructed in 1928 to 1930 at a cost of $390,000 incorporating parts of the previous courthouse.
County Courthouse – Bedford
Photos taken 2008