Pike County is named for Zebulon M. Pike, who was the discoverer of Pikes Peak, and who lived from 1779 to 1813.
Surrounding County Courthouses:
N – Knox County and Daviess County
E – Dubois County
S – Warrick County
W – Gibson County
Created: December 21, 1816 
County Seat:
Petersburg 1817 – present
County Courthouse – Petersburg
Location: 801 East Main Street / South 9th Street
Built: 1920 – 1922
Style: Neo-Classical
Architect: Elmer E Dunlap of Indianapolis
Contractor: Jasper N Good of Columbus
Description: The building faces north and is a three story yellow colored brick and concrete structure. The square shaped building is located on landscaped grounds in the center of Petersburg. The first story is horizontal lines of yellow colored brick with a concrete band running horizontally. A wide cornice runs below the roof line of the flat roof. In the interior, the floors are concrete overlaid with gray and black colored vinyl-asbestos tile, with carpet on the stairs. The ground floor plan is nearly cross-axial. Short corridors lead into the rotunda from the north, south, and west entrance vestibules. The rotunda is topped with an art glass skylight illuminated with electric lights in the attic. Stair and rotunda railings are cast metal painted gold with a wave-like crest; handrails are natural oak. The Circuit Court courtroom located on the third story is relatively unadorned. Plaster pilasters, in truth structural piers, line the walls; they are decorated with small wood plaques painted gold color. The floor is covered with blue colored carpet. The original oak judge’s bench is against the south wall; behind it is a narrow corridor leading from office corridor. The original oak witness bench is located in front of the judge, and to his left. An original Mission-style oak railing with turned balusters divides the courtroom. The building houses the County Circuit Court of the 25th Judicial District.
See: The architect, Elmer E Dunlap of Indianapolis also designed courthouses in Carroll County, Franklin County, Jackson County and Spencer County.
See: National Register of Historic Places – Pike County Courthouse
See: The 25th Judicial District includes Davies County, Dubois County, Knox County. Martin County, Perry County and Spencer County.
History: The county was created in 1816 and Petersburg was selected as the county seat in 1817. The first courthouse was a two story log structure built by Thomas C Stewart in 1818 at a cost of $599. The second courthouse was a two story structure built by George H Proffit and Charles F White in 1836 The third courthouse was constructed by Robert Hawthorne and William Hawthorne in 1868 at a cost of $33,265. The courthouse was destroyed by fire. The fourth and present courthouse was constructed 1n 1920 to 1922 at a cost of $236,000.
County Courthouse – Petrersburg
Photos taken 2008