Graham County is named for Mount Graham, the highest mountain in the Pinaleno Mountains.
Surrounding Couty Courthouses:
N – Gila County, Navajo County and Apache County
E – Greenlee County
S – Cochise County
W – Pima County, Pinal County and Gila County
Created: March 10, 1881
County Seat:
Safford 1881 – 1883
Solomonville 1883 – 1915
Safford 1915 – present
County Courthouse – Safford
Location: 800 West Main Street / South 8th Avenue
Built: 1916 – 1917
Style: Classical Revival
Architect: Royal W Lescher and John Rinker Kibbey
Contractor: Lutgarding and Eggan
Description: The building faces east and is a two story reddish colored brick and concrete structure. The building is located on landscaped grounds in the center of Safford. The wall surfaces are faced with El Paso pressed red brick and contrast in texture with the smooth concrete foundation. The east front has a recessed portico supported by two large white colored Doric columns. A white colored horizontal band extends around the building above the second story windows. There is a white colored cornice with a white colored edged pediment above the entrance. On the interior, the main staircase features the original wooden balustrade and newel post, Wooden wainscoting, moldings, interior doors and door trim are all intact in the main hallways, allowing the public areas to convey the historic essence of a turn-of-the-century space. The courtroom is located on the second story. The building houses the County Superior Court of Division II and County Justice Court-Precinct 1 (Safford).
See: National Register of Historic Places – Graham County Courthouse
History: The county was created in 1881 and Safford was designated as the county seat. The first courthouse was an adobe structure erected in 1881 at 615 First Street. The county seat was moved to Solomonville in 1883. The second courthouse was an adobe structure erected in 1883. The third courthouse was designed by H G Howe and built by William Douglas in 1884 at a cost of $11,700. In 1915, the county seat was returned to Safford. The fourth courthouse was the Riggs Building at 401 West Main Street and Central Avenue built in 1901 by Brannish Riggs which is still standing. The fifth and present courthouse was constructed in 1916 at a cost of $44,404.

County Courthouse – Safford




View east from County Courthouse
Photos taken 2008