Baker County | US Courthouses

Baker County is named for James McNair Baker, who was a judge and a Confederate States Senator.

Surrounding County Courthouses:

N – Clinch County, Georgia and Ware County, Georgia

E – Charlton County, Georgia, Nassau County, Duval County and Clay County

S – Bradford County and Union County

W – Columbia County

Created: February 8, 1861

County Seat:

Sanderson 1861 – 1886

Macclenny 1886 – present

County Courthouse – Macclenny

Location: 339 East Macclenny Avenue / North 2nd Street

Built: 1940 – 1948

Style: Classical Revival

Architect: Roy A Benjamin of Jacksonville

Contractor: Works Progress Administration using local trades

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 Macclenny. The south front has a large portico supported by four high columns with a wide pediment containing a clock. A white colored stone band runs horizontally below the roof line. On the east and west sides are one story wings. In the interior, there is a large mural in the entrance lobby. The County Circuit Court courtroom is located on the second story. Ther building houses the County Circuit Court of the 8th Judicial Circuit and County Court. The building was a Works Progress Administration project. The building was renovated in 2002. The architect was Rink Reynolds Diamond Fisher of Jacksonville and the contractor was The Auchter Company.

Note: Due to the start of World War II, construction of the courthouses was delayed until the war ended.

Old County Courthouse – Macclenny

Location: 14 West McIvor Avenue / South 5th Street

Built: 1908 – 1909

Style: Romanesque Revival

Architect: Edward Columbus Hosford of Atlanta, Georgia

Contractor: Mutual Construction Company

Description: The building faces north and is a two story red colored brick and limestone trim and concrete structure. The building is located on landscaped grounds in the center of Macclenny to the southwest of the courthouse. The north front has a small portico supported by four columns. On the second story is a large window with pediment above at the roof line. Each of the corners of the building are six sided towers. A projecting cornice runs below the roof line. On the center of the roof is a high cupola with clock and red colored dome at the top. In the interior, the courtroom used to occupy the entire second story. The building is now the Emily Taber Library. On the west side is the Old County Jail built in 1911.

See: The architect, Edward Columbus Hosford of Atlanta, Georgia..

See: The contractor, Mutual Construction Company of Louisville Kentucky, constructed courthouses in Jefferson County, Lafayette County, Pasco County and Polk County; and in Georgia in Harris County.

See: National Register of Historic Places – Old Baker County Courthouse

See: The 8th Judicial Circuit includes Alachua County, Bradford County, Gilchrist County, Levy County and Union County.

See: The county is located in the First Judicial District of the Court of Appeal – First Judicial District located in Tallahassee.

History: The county was created in 1861 and Sanderson was selected as the county seat. The first courthouse was a wood frame structure built after 1861. The building burned in 1877. In 1886 the county seat was moved to Macclenny. The second courthouse was constructed in 1908 to 1909 at a cost of $19,985. The third and present courthouse was constructed in 1940 to 1948.