Grainger County is named for Mary Grainger Blount, who was the wife of William Blount and the “first lady” of the Southwest Territory, later Tennessee.
Surrounding County Courthouses:
N – Claiborne County and Hancock County
E – Hawkins County, Hamblen County and Jefferson County
S – Jefferson County and Knox County
W – Knox County and Union County
Created: April 22, 1796 
County Seat:
Mitchell Springs 1796 – 1801
Rutledge 1801 – present
County Courthouse – Rutledge
Location: 8095 Rutledge Pike / Marshall Avenue
Built: 1948 – 1949
Style: Art Deco and Moderne
Architect: Bauman and Bauman of Knoxville, Will W Griffin and Shi G Goodwyne
Contractor: Johnson and Willard
Description: The building faces south and is a two story red colored brick, glass and concrete structure. The building is located on landscaped grounds in the center of Rutledge. The building is “L” shaped with an east wing. The south front has a projecting center section with vertical concrete dividers with glass panels and entrance between. The main building is recessed. The roof line is flat. To the south is the Old County Jail built in 1845.
See: The architect, Baumann & Baumann of Knoxville, designed the courthouse in Claiborne County.
County Justice Center – Rutledge
Location: 270 Justice Center Drive / Cambridge Avenue
Built: 2004 – 2005
Style: Modern
Architect: Robert Carpenter of Moseley, Wilkins & Wood of Charlotte, North Carolina
Contractor: Rouse Construction of Knoxville
Description: The building faces southwest and is a one story dark red colored brick and concrete structure. The building is located on spacious landscaped grounds in the center of Rutledge to the northeast of the courthouse. The southwest entrance has a large portico with four white colored columns rising to a wide pediment at the roof line. The roof line is flat. The building houses the County Circuit Court, County Chancery Court, County General Sessions Court and County Juvenile Court of the 4th Judicial District.
See: The 4th Judicial District includes Cocke County, Jefferson County and Sevier County
History: The county was created in 1796 and Mitchell Springs was selected as the county seat. In 1801, the county seat was moved to Rutledge and the first courthouse was built in 1801. The second courthouse was a two story structure designed by Wheeler & Runge of Charlotte, North Carolina and constructed by M T Lewman & Company of Louisville, Kentucky in 1904. The courthouse was destroyed by fire on January 16,1946. The third and present courthouse was constructed in 1948 to 1949. The County Justice Center was constructed in 2004 to 2005.
See: In 1890, the first courthouse built in 1801 was dismantled and the framing timber was used to build the Henderson Chapel AME Zion Church at 143 Church Street and Beets Avenue in Rutledge.
County Courthouse – Rutledge
County Justice Center – Rutledge
Photos taken 2012