Kemper County is named for Rueben Kemper, who was a pioneer and who led a group against Spanish Mobile in 1811.
Surrounding County Courthouses:
N – Noxubee County
E – Sumter County, Alabama
W – Neshoba County
Created: December 23, 1833 
County Seat:
DeKalb 1833 – present
County Courthouse – DeKalb
Location: 123 Main Avenue / Jackson Street
Built: 1908 – 1913
Style: Beaux Arts
Architect: Penn Jeffries Krouse
Contractor: Hancock & McArthur
Description: The building faces north and is a three story buff colored brick and concrete structure. The building is located on landscaped grounds in the center of DeKalb. The north front has a portico with four columns rising to a pediment at the roof line. The center section of the building projects slightly from the main building. The third story is white colored concrete with a wall section behind the portico. There are one story wing on the east and west sides. On the center of the roof is an octagonal cupola with red colored roof. An addition was constructed in 1970. The architect was R B Clopton and the contractor was B L Howell & Sons. In 2005 to 2007, the building was renovated. The architect was Luke Peterson Kaye and the contractor was J & J General Contractors.
History: The county was created in 1833 and DeKalb was selected as the county seat. The first courthouse was a wood structure built sometime after 1834 and was burned down by Phil Gully and friends in 1873. The county used rented premises until the second courthouse, a wood structure similar to the first courthouse, was built in the late 1880’s. The courthouse was destroyed by fire in 1908. The third and present courthouse was constructed in 1908 to 1913.
County Courthouse – DeKalb
Photos taken 2012