Franklin County is named for Benjamin Franklin, who was a signer of the Declaration of Independence and who lived from 1706 to 1790.
Surrounding County Courthouses:
N – Jefferson County and Lincoln County
E – Lincoln County
S – Amite County and Wilkinson County
W – Adams County
Created: December 21, 1809 
County Seat:
West Meadville 1809 – 1819
Meadville 1819 – present
County Courthouse – Meadville
Location: 36 Main Street / Walnut Street
Built: 1913 – 1914
Style: Classical Revival
Architect: Noah Webster Overstreet of Spencer Overstreet & Paine
Contractor: Little-Cleckler Construction Company of Anniston, Alabama.
Description: The building faces north and is a two story dark red colored brick structure. The building is located on landscaped grounds in the center of Meadville. The north front has two stone pillars on either side of the central entrance which has a stone canopy. The roof has a wide overhang and is sloped with red colored shingles. The east and west wings are recessed. In the interior, the hallway is elaborated by a series of pilasters which are linked by a molded cornice which is carried across the ceiling as a molding for exposed beams supported by the pilasters. The walls are further trimmed with molded bases having a single fascia and by a high, molded chair rail. The main stairway located in the eastern wing features a square metal newel with molded cap and decorative metal balusters. The stair makes two straight runs in an easterly-westerly direction, with a half turn at an intermediate landing before terminating downstairs in the basement and upstairs in the second story. A secondary stair leading only to the second story is located in the western wing of the building and runs in a northerly-southerly direction with two runs and an intermediate landing. The County Circuit Court courtroom is located on the second story. The building houses the County Circuit Court of the 6th Judicial District, County Chancery Court, County Youth Court and County Justice Court. In 1958, an addition was added to the south side. The architect was Overstreet, Ware & Ware and the contractor was Southern Construction Company. In 1969, the building was renovated. The architect was John Bishop Seavey and the contractor was Druetta Construction Company.
See: The architect, Noah Webster Overstreet of Jackson, also designed courthouses in Alcorn County, Bolivar County, Choctaw County, Franklin County, Pontotoc County, Prentiss County, Rankin County, Tippah County and Webster County.
See: Little-Cleckler Construction Company of Anniston, Alabama also constructed courthouses in Alabama in Fayette County, Jackson County and Limestone County; in Georgia in Bleckley County, Clarke County, Lincoln County and Walker County; and in Mississippi in Lawrence County, Walthall County and Webster County.
See: National Register of Historic Places – Franklin County Courthouse
History: The county was created in 1809 and Franklin was selected as the county seat. In 1820, the county seat was moved to Meadville. The county used rented premises. The first jail was built by Peter Burd in 1839 and the first courthouse was a brick structure built by Sanford in 1869. The courthouse was destroyed by fire in 1877. The second courthouse was built by George Stewart of Summit in 1878 at a cost of $5,850. The third and present courthouse was constructed in 1913 to 1914.
County Courthouse – Meadville
County Circuit Court courtroom
Photos taken 2011 and 2019