Jackson County is named for James Jackson, who was a general during the American Revolutionary War, a United States Senator and Governor of Georgia.
Surrounding County Courthouses:
N – Banks County
E – Madison County
S – Clarke County, Oconee County and Barrow County
W – Hall County
Created: February 11, 1796 
County Seat:
Clarkesboro 1799 – 1800
Jefferson 1800 – present
County Courthouse – Jefferson
Location: 5000 Jackson Parkway / General Jackson Drive
Built: 2002 – 2004
Style: Modern
Architect: Cooper Carry Architecture
Contractor: Holder Construction Company
Description: The building faces southwest and is a three story red colored brick and concrete structure. The building is located on spacious landscaped grounds to the northeast of the center of Jefferson. The southwest front has a large portico with six columns rising to a wide pediment at the roof line. The recessed entrance has glass panels on either side and rising to the third story. A wide horizontal cornice runs below the third story and along the roof line. The roof is flat. The interior has a large central atrium. The building houses the County Superior Court, County Juvenile Court, County Probate Court and County Magistrate Court of the 10th Judicial District.
Old County Courthouse – Jefferson
Location: 85 Washington Street / North Avenue
Built: 1879 – 1880
Style: Early Classical Revival and Italianate
Architect: W W Thomas
Contractor: M B McGinty
Description: The building faces northeast and is a two story cream-brown colored stucco and wood structure. The building is located on landscaped grounds in the center of Jefferson. The northeast front has a central entrance on the first story with small overhang above. On the second story are four narrow arched windows with a wide peak above at the roof line. There are east and west wings. On the center of the hipped roof is a square dome with clock and red colored roof at the top. In the interior the courtroom on the second story there is a pressed metal ceiling in the pattern of a “cathedral quilt”. The egg and dart cornice is also of pressed metal. The courtroom has the old paneled judge’s bench. The clock tower was added in 1906. The building was renovated in 1978. The architect was John H Cunningham & Associates and the contractor was Beeco Constracting Company.
See: National Register of Historic Places – Jefferson County Courthouse
History: The county was created in 1796 and Clarkesboro was selected as the county seat in 1799. The first court met at the home of Thomas Kirkpatrick. In 1799, the first courthouse was built in Clarkesboro. In 1800, the county seat was moved to Jefferson and the second courthouse was a wood structure was subsequently built. The third courthouse was a brick structure built in 1820. The fourth courthouse was also a brick structure constructed in 1879 at a cost of $11,122 and is still standing. The fifth and present courthouse was constructed in 2003 to 2004.
County Courthouse – Jefferson
Old County Courthouse – Jefferson
Photos taken 2013, 2020 and 2023