Baker County Courthouse-Newton, Georgia - Courthouses on Waymarking.com

: Baker County was created on Dec. 12, 1825. Twelve days later, the legislature passed an act organizing the county and providing that the house of William Howards serve as the site for holding court and handling other county business until a courthouse could be built. On Dec. 16, 1828, the legislature designated the town of Byron as county seat. Shortly afterwards, a courthouse was built in Byron, though details about the structure are missing. In 1831, the legislature moved the county seat to a land lot more centrally located and named commissioners with responsibility for having a courthouse and jail built. Apparently, nothing was done for the following six years, as the legislature in 1837 appointed a new group of commissioners to oversee building of a county courthouse. At some point, a courthouse was built in the new town of Newton. In 1874, the legislature authorized Baker County to borrow up to $5,000 to build a new courthouse. At some point thereafter, county officials built a courthouse -- but it exceeded the $5,000 authorized by the legislature. In 1881, the legislature passed an act allowing Baker County to levy a special tax for 1881 and 1882 to pay off the debt for building the court house and repairing public bridges. This building was replaced with a new courthouse in 1900 (see photo). Renovations to the 1900 courthouse were required because of major flooding of the Flint River in 1925, 1929, and 1994. The devastating flood of 1994 brought waters from the Flint River almost to the second floor of the courthouse (see photo). As a result, Baker County officials moved to a vacant school building several blocks away (see photo). This building served as temporary courthouse for six years. In 2000, the county remodeled a vacant school building adjacent to the temporary courthouse and made it new courthouse.

Year Built: Unknown but remodled in 2000 Current Use of Building: Courts and county offices Level of Courts: County Architect: Unknown Dates this building was used to house judicial proceedings: 2000-Present Physical Address: Baker Place Newton, GA. Related Website: [Web Link] Hours: Not listed

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Date Logged Log User Rating   05/01/2010 Sprinterman visited it