White County is named for David T White, who was a state representative who helped create the county.
Surrounding County Courthouses:
N – Union County and Towns County
E – Habersham County
S – Hall County
W – Lumpkin County and Union County
Created: December 22, 1857 
County Seat:
Cleveland 1857 – present
Old County Courthouse – Cleveland
Location: Courthouse Square / Main Street
Built: 1858 – 1860
Style: Georgian Colonial, Vernacular and Carpenter
Architect: Edwin Pore Williams
Contractor: Edwin Pore Williams and William Houston
Description: The building faces east and is a two story red colored brick and wood structure. The building is located on landscaped grounds of Courthouse Square in the center of Cleveland. The building is rectangular with a central entrance on the east and west sides. At the north and south ends are brick sections which rise above the roof line with the twin end chimneys forming the end walls. The roof is hipped. The contract for the woodwork was given to William Houston of Cleveland. The building now houses a museum.
Note: Edwin Pore Williams was paid $10,000 in Confederate currency for the job after the Civil War had started. The courthouse is similar to the early Carpenter Style in North Georgia as seen in the courthouses in Dade County and Dawson County.
See: National Register of Historic Places – Old White County Courthouse.
County Courthouse – Cleveland
Location: 59 South Main Street / East Underwood Street
Built: 1963 – 1964
Style: Modern
Architect: Jacobs and Matthews
Contractor: Pardue Construction Company
Description: The building faces west and is a one story white-brown colored brick and concrete structure. The building is located on landscaped grounds in the center of Cleveland to the south of the old courthouse. The west front has a large porch supported by four concrete pillars rising to a flat roof. The double windows are vertical. A projecting band runs along the flat roof line. In the interior, the County Superior Court courtroom is located I at the center of the building. The building houses the County Superior Court, County Juvenile Court, County Probate Court and County Magistrate Court of the 9th Judicial Administrative District.
See: The 9th Judicial District includes Cherokee County, Dawson County, Fannin County, Forsyth County, Gilmer County, Gwinnett County, Habersham County, Hall County, Lumpkin County, Pickens County, Rabun County, Stephens County, Towns County and Union County.
History: The county was created in 1857 and Cleveland was selected as the county seat. The first courthouse was built in 1858 to 1860 in Cleveland and is still standing. The second and present courthouse was constructed in 1963 to 1964.
Old County Courthouse – Cleveland
County Courthouse – Cleveland
County Superior Court courtroom
Photos taken 2013 and 2023