Lumpkin County | US Courthouses

Lumpkin County is named for Wilson Lumpkin, who was a Governor of Georgia, a United States Representative and a United States Senator.

Surrounding County Courthouses:

N – Fannin County and Union County

E – White County

S – Hall County

W – Dawson County and Gilmer County

Created: December 3, 1832

County Seat:

Auraria 1832 – 1836

Dahlonega 1836 – present

Old County Courthouse – Dahlonega

Location: 1 Public Square / Main Street

Built: 1836 – 1838

Style: Vernacular with Classical Revival

Architect: Ephram Clayton

Contractor: Ephram Clayton

Description: The building faces southeast and is a two story buff colored brick, stone and wood structure. The building is located on landscaped grounds of the Public Square in the center of Dahlonega. The outer walls are solid, ranging between 24 and 22.5 inches thick. The southeast front has a large portico with two large columns rising to a pediment at the roof line. On the first story is an arched entrance with balcony on the second story. The windows have shutters. The roof is hipped. The building now houses the Dahlonega Gold Museum.

Note: The bricks for the courthouse were hand made from clay dug from nearby Cane Creek and reveal trace amounts of gold.

See: The courthouse ( 1836 ) is the fourth oldest courthouse still standing in Georgia. The oldest courthouse is Old Government House ( 1801 ) located in Richmond County. The second oldest courthouse ( 1825 ) is located in Fayette County. The third oldest courthouse ( 1832 ) is located in Crawford County.

County Justice Center – Dahlonega

Location: 325 Riley Road / Morrison Moore Parkway

Built: 2008 – 2010

Style: Modern

Architect: Gardner, Spencer, Smith, Tench & Jarbeau

Contractor: The Winter Construction Company

Description: The building faces west and is a two story red colored brick and concrete structure. The building is located on spacious landscaped grounds to the east of the center of Dahlonega. The west front has a large portico with four columns rising to a pediment at the roof line. There are three arches at the central entrance on the first story. There is wing on the south side. The roof is hipped. In the interior is a large entrance lobby with opening to the second story. On the first story is the County Probate Court and County Magistrate Court courtrooms. Stairs ascend to the second story where two County Superior Court courtrooms are located. The building houses the County Superior Court, County Juvenile Court, County Probate Court and County Magistrate Court of the 9th Judicial District.

See: The 9th Judicial District includes Cherokee County, Dawson County, Fannin County, Forsyth County, Gilmer County, Gwinnett County, Habersham County, Hall County, Pickens County, Rabun County, Stephens County, Towns County, Union County and White County.

Old County Jail – Dahlonega

Location: 75 Enota Street / Short Street

Built: 1884 – 1885

Style: Italianate

Architect: Alonzo C Johnson and Henry Ramsaur

Contractor: Alonzo C Johnson and Henry Ramsaur

Description: The building faces south and is a two story red colored brick structure. The building is located on landscaped grounds to the east of the center of Dahlonega. The front facade contains three recessed panels separated by four simple brick pilasters. The roof is hipped and is topped with a louvered cupola. Windows are segmental-arched with hood moldings and iron grating on upper story windows. Exterior additions include a one-story frame porch with concrete floor at the entrance and an enclosed shed porch at the rear. This rear addition contains the bath. The interior plan includes former jailer’s quarters on the first floor and the jail works on the second floor. The living quarters are designed on a central hall plan with two rooms to either side and a stairway to the second floor at the southwest corner of the building. The second floor contains four metal cells divided by a central hallway which is entered from the front corridor through a heavy iron door Alterations were made in 1936, 1942 and 1980.

County Administration Building ( former courthouse ) – Dahlonega

Location: 99 Courthouse Hill Road / East Main Street

Built: 1964 – 1965

Style: Modern

Architect: Jacobs and Matthews

Contractor: 765 Builders, Inc.

Description: The building faces south and is a two story buff colored flagstone and concrete structure. The building sits at the top of a hill and is located on landscaped ground to the north of the center of Dahlonega. There are one story projecting sections on each corner which are faced with flagstone. The main building has a recessed entrance on the south side and rises two stories with windows on the east and west sides. The roof line is flat. In the interior, the first story has a large lobby with stairs on the north side rising to the large courtroom along the south side of the second story. Around the top of the courtroom are windows. The building served as the courthouse until 2010 and is now the Administration Building. To the south is the Old County Jail.

History: The county was created in 1832 and Auraria was selected as the county seat. The first courthouse was a log cabin in Auraria. The second courthouse was a two story brick structure built in 1836 when the county seat was moved to Dahlonega. The building is still standing. The third courthouse was constructed in 1964 to 1965 and is now the Administration Building. The fourth and present County Justice Center was constructed in 2008 to 2010.