Okaloosa County | US Courthouses

Okaloosa County is named for the Choctaw Native America word meaning “black water” as the county has black water streams and the Blackwater River.

Surrounding County Courthouses:

N – Escambia County, Alabama and Covington County, Alabama

E – Walton County

S – Gulf of Mexico

W – Santa Rosa County

Created: June 3, 1915

County Seat:

Crestview 1915 – present

Former County Courthouse – Crestview

Location: 101 East James Lee Boulevard / East Main Street

Built: 1918 – 1919

Style: Moderne

Architect: Unknown

Contractor: Dobson & Company

Description: The building faced north and was a two story white colored stucco, concrete and glass structure. The building was located on landscaped grounds in the center of Crestview. The north and south fronts had high rectangular framed sections with vertical green colored dividers over recessed windows. The east and west wings were lower in height and have small windows. The roof line was flat. In 1955, the building was remodeled substantially to create the Moderne style. The architect was Charles H McCauley and the contractor was Jones and Hardy. An addition to the building was added in 1963. The architect was Charles H McCauley and the contractor was Southeastern Steel. The building was demolished in 2017.

County Courthouse – Crestview

Location: 101 East James Lee Boulevard / Main Street

Built: 2017 – 2018

Style: Modern

Architect: Sam Marshall Architects

Contractor: Ajax Building Corporation.

Description: The building faces south and is a three story red colored brick, glass and concrete structure. The building is located on landscaped grounds in the center of Crestview. The south front has a two story curved section with white colored columns and recessed glass walls. Above is a white colored section along the roof line. On either side are square red colored brick towers rising to the roof line. On the east and west sides are two story wings. In the interior, the County Circuit Court courtrooms are located on the second story. The building houses the County Circuit Court of the 1st Judicial Circuit and County Court.

Courthouse Annex Extension – Fort Walton Beach

Location: 1940 Lewis Turner Boulevard / Mooney Road NE

Built: 2010 – 2011

Style: Modern

Architect: Heery Design

Contractor: Skanska USA Building, Inc. and Lord and Son Construction, Inc.

Description: The building faces east and is a three story red colored brick, glass and concrete structure. The rectangular shaped building is located on landscaped grounds to the north of the center of Fort Walton Beach. On the east front is a central projecting section rising two stories with entrance on the first story. At the southeast corner is a concrete and glass tower rising above the roof line. The first story is white colored concrete and a band of white colored concrete runs along the flat roof line. In the interior, there are seven County Circuit Court courtrooms located on the second and third stories. The building houses the Circuit Court of the 1st Judicial Circuit and County Court.

See: The 1st Judicial Circuit includes Escambia County, Santa Rosa County and Walton 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 1915 and Crestview was selected as the county seat. The first courthouse was constructed by Dobson & Company in 1918 to 1919. The building was remodeled in 1955 and torn down in 2017. The second and present courthouse was constructed in 2017 to 2019. The Fort Walton Courthouse Annex Extension was constructed in 2010 to 2011.