Weakley County

US States / O-U / Tennessee / Weakley County
Weakley

Weakley County is named for Robert Weakley, who was a United States Representative in Congress.

 

Surrounding County Courthouses: 

N – Graves County, Kentucky

E – Henry County

S – Carroll County and Gibson County

W – Obion County

 

Created:  October 21, 1823                    Map of Tennessee highlighting Weakley County

County Seat: 

Dresden  1825 – present

 

County Courthouse – Dresden  

 

Location:  116 West Main Street / North Wilson Street

Built:  1949 – 1951

Style:  Neo-Classical

Architect:  Joseph Holman and Thomas Marr of Nashville

Contractor:  Seth E Giem & Associates

 

Description:  The building faces south and is a three story gray colored limestone and concrete structure. The rectangular shaped building is located on landscaped grounds in the center of Dresden. The central entrance entrance on the first story is framed with stone. Square windows run along the first story. Recessed vertical windows are on the second and third stories. The roof line is flat. In the interior, there is a lobby on the second story with a wide staircase ascending to the third story where the County Circuit Court courtroom is located. The building houses the County Circuit Court, County Chancery Court, County General Sessions Court and County Juvenile Court of the 27th Judicial District. 

 

See:  The architect, Joseph Holman and Thomas Marr of Nashville, designed courthouses in Bedford County, Franklin County, Hardin CountyLauderdale County, Madison County, McNairy County, Obion County, Pickett County and Sumner County. They also designed the Tennessee Supreme Court in Nashville.

 

Note:  This building was the last courthouse built in the state with segregated public entrances.  The black entrance was on the north side of the building directly beside the rear entrance.  It led down to a basement door and an enclosed staircase between all three floors located beside the elevator shaft and directly across from the open main stairs.

 

See:  The 27th Judicial District includes Obion County.

 

History:  The county was created in 1823 and Dresden was selected as the county seat in 1825. The first court met in 1823 in the home of John Terrell and later in the home of Banjamin Bondurant at Dresden until 1828. The first courthouse was a brick structure built by John Scarborough of Stewart County in 1827 on Courthouse Square. In 1852, the second courthouse was a brick structure built by Major Cowardin at a cost of $20,000. The building was enlarged in 1911 by L Ewingo and was destroyed by fire on February 19, 1948. The third and present courthouse was constructed in 1949 to 1951.

 

  

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County Courthouse – Dresden

 

 

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County Circuit Court courtroom

 

 

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Photos taken 2011