Drew County is named for Thomas Stevenson Drew, who was the third Governor of the State of Arkansas.
Surrounding County Courthouses:
N – Lincoln County and Desha County
E – Desha County and Chicot County
S – Ashley County
W – Bradley County and Cleveland County
Created: November 26, 1846
County Seat:
Rough and Ready Hill 1846 – 1850
Monticello 1850 – present
County Courthouse – Monticello
Location: 210 South Main Street / Jackson Avenue
Built: 1932 – 1933
Style: Art Deco
Architect: H Ray Burks of Little Rock
Contractor: Hewitt and Russell
Description: The building faces east and is a three story buff colored limestone and concrete structure. The building is located on landscaped in the center of Monticello. The building has a raised basement and is “L” shaped with a southwest wing. The east front has four high columns with the entrance in the center on the first story. Above the entrance are glass panels. Between the columns are dual windows. Above the columns is a wide header. Below the first story windows are decorative metal rails. The north and south sections project slightly from the main building. The roof line is flat. The interior has stone floors and stone wainscoting. The County Circuit Court courtroom is located on the second story and has a high ceiling with chandeliers. The building houses the County Circuit Court of the 10th Judicial District. The building was renovated in 1975. The architect was Wittenberg, Delony & Davidson and the contractor was Advance Construction, Inc.
See: National Register of Historic Places – Drew County Courthouse
See: The 10th Judicial District includes Ashley County, Bradley County, Chicot County and Desha County.
History: The county was created in 1846 and Rough and Ready Hill was designated as the county seat. The county officers met at the home of Alexander M Rawles in 1847 and then at the Rodgers School. In 1850, the county seat was moved to Monticello. The first courthouse was a wood frame structure constructed in 1851 on the court square in Monticello. The second courthouse was a wood frame structure built in 1857 and a library was established in the courthouse. The third courthouse was a two story brick structure designed by Jones & Baldwin and constructed by L W Lissenbee in 1870. The fourth and present courthouse was constructed in 1932 to 1933.
County Courthouse – Monticello
County Circuit Court courtroom
Photos taken 2012 and 2019