Roane County is named for Archibald Roane, who was a Governor of Tennessee.
Surrounding County Courthouses:
N – Morgan County and Anderson County
E – Knox County and Loudon County
S – McMinn County and Meigs County
W – Rhea County and Cumberland County
Created: November 6, 1801 
County Seat:
Kingston 1801 – present
County Courthouse – Kingston
Location: 200 East Race Street / 3rd Street
Built: 1973 – 1974
Style: Modern
Architect: Martin J Lide of Birmingham, Alabama
Contractor: Webb & Sons Construction Company. Inc. of Athens
Description: The building faces south and is a two story red colored brick and concrete structure. The building is located on landscaped grounds in the center of Kingston. The south front has a wide portico with six white colored columns rising to a wide portico at the roof line. The east and west corner sections project from the main building and have small porticoes with white colored columns. On the center of the roof is a square white colored cupola with octagonal cupola at the top. The roof is hipped and has dormers. The courtrooms are located on the first story. The building houses the County Circuit Court, County Chancery Court, County Criminal Court, County General Sessions Court and County Juvenile Court of the 9th Judicial District.
See: The architect, Martin J Lide of Birmingham, designed courthouses in Alabama in Blount County, Cullman County, Marshall County, Saint Clair County, Tallapoosa County and Wilcox County and in Tennessee in Anderson County, Union County and White County.
See: The 9th Judicial District includes Loudon County, Meigs County and Morgan County.
Old County Courthouse – Kingston
Location: 119 Court Street / North Kentucky Street
Built: 1853 – 1856
Style: Greek Revival
Architect: Fredrick B Guenther
Contractor: John D Lowery and Augustine O Fisher
Description: The building faces west and is a three story red colored brick and wood structure. The building is located on landscaped grounds to the west of the courthouse in the center of Kingston. The west front has a large recessed porch with four white colored columns and a wide balcony on the second story and third story. On the south and north sides are large porches with four white colored columns and a wide balcony on the second story. The courtroom is located on the second story. On the center of the roof is a white colored octagonal cupola with steep red colored roof. In 1935, an addition was constructed along the east side which extends from the main building. The architect was Herbert R Graf and the contractor was Joe Murphy.
Note: The building is constructed using native lumber and bricks made on the site by slaves. No nails were used in the original structure. The old courthouse is one of six antebellum courthouses remaining in Tennessee. The building was the active courthouse of Roane County until 1974 when the new courthouse was completed and the old courthouse was deeded to the Roane County Heritage Commission.
See: National Register of Historic Places – Old Roane County Courthouse
See: Other antebellum courthouses are located in Carter County, Hawkins County, Haywood County, Jefferson County, Rutherford County and Williamson County.
History: The county was created in 1801 and Kingston was selected as the county seat. The first courthouse was built in 1814. The cost for construction of the second courthouse in 1853 to 1856 was $9,400. The third and present courthouse was constructed in 1973 to 1974.
County Courthouse – Kingston
Old County Courthouse – Kingston
Photos taken 2012 and 2018