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 – Coffee County
E – Grundy County and Marion County
S – Jackson County, Alabama and Madison County, Alabama
W – Lincoln County and Moore County
Created: December 3, 1807 
County Seat:
Winchester 1807 – present
County Courthouse – Winchester
Location: 1 South Jefferson Street / Dinah Shore Boulevard
Built: 1936 – 1937
Style: Art Deco and Modern
Architect: Joseph Holman and Thomas Marr of Nashville
Contractor: Niles Yearwood of Nashville
Description: The building faces southwest and is a three story glass and concrete structure. The building is located on landscaped grounds in the center of Winchester. The building was a Work Projects Administration project. The center section on the southwest, projects from the main building. Vertical dividers run between the windows. On the center of the roof is a square white colored clock tower. In the interior, the first story is a cruciform plan with vestibules at each entrance. On the southwest side, there are staircases on either side of the hall. The floors a light brown colored terrazzo arranged in a grid pattern. The walls have wainscoting of ceramic tile. On the second story, the Circuit Court courtroom is located at the northeast side and the Chancery Court courtroom is on the northwest side. The architect was Joseph Holman and Thomas Marr of Nashville and the contractor was Niles Yearwood of Nashville.
See: The architect, Joseph Holman and Thomas Marr of Nashville, designed courthouses in Bedford County, Hardin County, Lauderdale County, Madison County, McNairy County, Obion County, Pickett County, Sumner County and Weakley County. They also designed the Tennessee Supreme Court in Nashville.
See: National Register of Historic Places – Franklin County Courthouse
County Judicial Center – Winchester
Location: 440 George Farley Parkway / Joyce Lane
Built: 2008 – 2009
Style: Modern
Architect: Barge Waggoner Sumner and Cannon, Inc. of Nashville
Contractor: HDH Management Corporation of Dickson.
Description: The building faces south and is a one story brown colored brick, stone, glass and concrete structure. The building is located on landscaped grounds on the western edge of Winchester. The south side has a one story porch supported by four stone pillars with recessed glass entrance. The roof line is flat. The courtrooms are located along the entrance lobby.
See: The 12th Judicial District includes Bledsoe County, Grundy County, Marion County, Rhea County and Sequatchie County.
History: The first courthouse was a brick structure built in 1814. The second courthouse was built by Elish Merideth in 1839. The courthouse was expanded in 1890. The architect was R A Hunt. The building was demolished. and the third and present courthouse was constructed in 1936 to 1937 at a cost of $152,000. The County Judicial Center was constructed in 2008 to 2009.
County Courthouse – Winchester
Picture 1890 County Courthouse
County Judicial Center – Winchester
Photos taken 2012 and 2018