Douglas County is named for Stephen Arnold Douglas, who was an Illinois Democratic Congressman who ran against Abraham Lincoln for the presidency in 1860.
Created: October 17, 1870
County Seat:
Douglasville 1870 – present
County Courthouse – Douglasville
Location: 8700 Hospital Drive / Doris Road
Built: 1997 – 1998
Style: Modern Classical Revival
Architect: Cooper Carry, Inc.
Contractor: Turner Construction Company
Description: The building faces northwest and is a two story red colored brick, concrete and stone structure. The northwest entrance has four large columns rising to a pediment with round window. The northwest wings are lower than the main building and extend in “V” formation with vertical dividers with windows between. Behind the central entrance is the large square main building. On the center of the roof is a large white dome with black roof and small cupola at the top. During construction, the project manager was Carter & Associates.
Old County Courthouse – Douglasville
Location: 6754 Bowden Street / Church Street
Built: 1956 – 1957
Style: Modern
Architect: Harry F Roos Jr. of Southern Engineering of Atlanta
Contractor: McKown Construction Company
Description: The building faces north and is a two story concrete and glass structure. The center section rises above the east and west wings and has a stone faced center area. On the west side of the center section is the main entrance with a large curved canopy. The wall is glass panels with vertical concrete dividers. The building houses a museum and community organizations.
Note: After the 1896 courthouse was destroyed by fire on Jan. 11, 1956, Douglas County voters approved a special bond election in June 1956 to fund construction of a new courthouse. The new courthouse was built on the site of the previous three courthouses. By the mid-1990s, Douglas County government was located in seven different buildings in downtown Douglasville, leading county officials to seek voter approval for funding a new county government complex at a site about a half mile away. After the new government complex was completed in 1998, county officials moved out of the old courthouse, which subsequently became a local museum and home to the Douglas County Historical Society and other community organizations.
Courthouses:
N – Paulding County and Cobb County
E – Fulton County
S – Fulton County and Carroll County
W – Carroll County
Photos taken 2010 and 2013