Lincoln County is named for the city of Lincoln in England, Great Britain.
Surrounding County Courthouses:
N – Kennebec County and Waldo County
E – Knox County
S – Atlantic Ocean
W – Sagadahoc County
Created: June 19, 1760 
County Seat:
Pownalborough 1761 – 1794
Wiscasset 1794 – present
County Courthouse – Wiscasset
Location: 32 High Street / Lee Street
Built: 1824 – 1825
Style: Georgian
Architect: Ebenezer Clap of Bath, John Dole of Alna and Colonel Isaac Reed of Waldoborough
Contractor: Nathaniel Coffin and Tileston Cushing of Bath
Description: The building faces east and is a three story red colored brick structure. The building is located on landscaped grounds along a slope in the center of Wiscasset. The central entrance on the east front is recessed with arches framing the windows on either side. On the center of the hipped roof is a white colored open cupola. The courtroom is located on the second story. The building was enlarged in 1950 and in 1972.
Note: The courthouse is the oldest courthouse in Maine still in use.
History: The county was created in 1760 and Pownalborough was selected as the county seat in 1761. The first courthouse was built in 1760 to 1761 and is still standing. The county seat was moved to Wiscasset in 1794. The second courthouse was built in 1805 and was originally the Lincoln and Kennebec Bank where the county offices were located. The third and present courthouse was constructed in 1824 to 1825 at a cost of $10,843. In 1799 a courthouse was built in Warren as the East Lincoln County Courthouse.
Old Library ( Courthouse ) – Wiscasset
Location: 21 High Street / Main Street
Built: 1803 – 1805
Style: Federal
Architect: Unknown
Contractor: Unknown
Description: The building faces west and is a two story white colored brick structure. The building is located on landscaped grounds in the center of Wiscasset to the south of the courthouse. The west front has a central recess entrance. There are green colored shutters. The roof is hipped. The building now houses the Wiscasset Public Library. The county offices were located there until the Lincoln County Courthouse was built in 1824.
Note: The building was originally it was built to house the Lincoln & Kennebec Bank, and later the Wiscasset Bank and Mariner’s Bank. The bank vault was sited, underwater, in a deep well for protection. Originally a two story building with a mansard roof, it was an example of how commercial buildings were then built as houses. Later, it was used as a residence in 1862. In 1903, Andrew Carnegie came to this country as a passenger on the Wiscasset, a ship owned by Captain Johnston. He offered $4,000 to the town to erect a new library, but the Town couldn’t afford the money for its upkeep so the offer was not accepted. Frances Sortwell along with others founded the present library.
Old County Courthouse – Dresden
Location: 23 Courthouse Road / Highwat 26
Built: 1760 – 1761
Style: Georgian
Architect: Gershom Flagg
Contractor: Gershom Flagg and Kennebec Proprietors
Description: The building faces east and is a three story white colored wood frame structure. The building is located on spacious landscaped grounds and was built within the stockade of Fort Shirley. The roof is hipped. The building is named as the Pownalsborough Courthouse and served as the courthouse from 1760 to 1794.
See: National Register of Historic Places – Old Pownalborough Courthouse
Old County Courthouse – Warren
Location: 281 Main Street / 4 Rod Road
Built: 1799 – 1801
Style: Federal
Architect: Town of Warren
Contractor: Town of Warren
Description: The building faces north and is a two story white colored wood structure. The building is located in the center of Warren across from the Public Library. The entrance is at the west side of the north front. The windows have green colored shutters. The roof is hipped. The building served as the East Lincoln County courthouse until 1847 and is now located in Knox County. The building housed the Warren Academy and later the Town Hall and is now used as The Village Laundry.
Note: Warren became a shire town and the town was persuaded to build the courthouse which served until 1847. The building was sold to the town for $51.
County Courthouse – Wiscasset
Old County Courthouse – Dresden
Old County Courthouse – Warren
Photos taken 2014 and 2018