COVINGTON COUNTY COURTHOUSE - Andalusia, AL - Courthouses on Waymarking.com

The village of Montezuma, located approximately four miles west of the present City of Andalusia, was the first county seat and the site for the first Covington County Courthouse. The structure was a log building, which was constructed at the falls of the Conecuh River in 1823. This original courthouse burned in the spring of 1839. Before another courthouse was constructed, the town of Montezuma was completely washed away in 1841 by a flood called the “Harrison Freshet.” Worse still, the flood created an epidemic of mosquitoes and fever.
After much disagreement and several legislative acts, a site for the new courthouse was finally chosen. The site was a forty-acre tract on higher ground that was called “New Site” until 1844 when a post office was established and the town was designated as Andalusia. No one knows where the name Andalusia originated, but legend has it that the Spanish explorer, DeSoto, passed through this area in his travels from Florida to Mississippi. It is assumed that since Spain has an Andalusia Province, the City of Andalusia was so named because DeSoto passed through.
In 1847, the construction of a new courthouse finally began in the center of Andalusia’s public square. This second structure was built of pine logs and had a small pine pole jail built nearby. This courthouse and all of its records were destroyed by fire in 1878.
The third courthouse, a clapboard building, was then constructed at the same location in the center of the Square. In 1895 it was also consumed by fire. Some records were saved due to being in an iron safe which was located in the County Judge’s Office. A man by the name of Marion Lisco was arrested and charged in connection with the fire. He later escaped and was never prosecuted.
The fourth Covington County Courthouse was a two-story red brick building built in 1896 on the same property. By 1916, a flourishing Andalusia required a larger and more complete courthouse to better serve the needs of the county. At this time the present stone and marble courthouse was erected on the north side of the Square facing south toward what became known as the Court Square. The stone for the courthouse came from Stone Mountain, GA.

Info from website.

Year Built: 1916 Current Use of Building: Courts, DMV, etc Level of Courts: County Dates this building was used to house judicial proceedings: 1916- present Physical Address: 1 Courthouse Square Andalusia, AL Related Website: [Web Link] Architect: Not listed Hours: Not listed

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