The history of Perry’s courthouses

Our story for today involves the old courthouses of Perry that have been built throughout the town’s history. The first was constructed in 1824, near the beginning of Perry’s founding. It was built by James H. Killen in the public square near Main, Jernigan, Carroll and Ball Streets, with the jail only being a block away. The ornamented door, well-proportioned frame, and elegant cornice make its appearance striking and rather unique for the time. For the foundation and chimneys, bricks had to be made in the street between the residences of Thomas M. Killen and William Brunson.

Inside, a bar inhabited the north side, while the lobby was located near the east and west. The second story held the Petit and Grand Jury rooms, the latter of which took up nearly half of the entire floor. This courthouse remained in use until 1856 when another one took its place.

Constructed on the same site as the first one, the second courthouse cost 13,000 dollars to make and only had a dirt floor. Since it was located in the center of town, the community used it as a place to gather. The Shriners would often have oyster suppers on the lawn, and people would talk about their days around the well.

Though the sand bricks used for the walls were hand-made, the building was strong and durable. The roof wasn’t tied to the building, but there have been no reports of it being blown away. The timber that eventually fell with the building was formidable, some pieces even being 60 feet long!

A common story around this building tells of Confederates stacking salt against the old sheriff’s office’s walls due to rumors of Sherman’s army passing through Perry on their way to the sea. Sherman never launched this attack on Perry, but strange markings along the walls of the courthouse caused settlers to believe they were from salt stored there during the Civil War.

Possibly the most well-known case held in this courthouse was the trial of Tom Woolfolk, who was found guilty of murdering 9 family members. He got the death sentence, and he was hung at Big Indian Creek. 

Another common story involved an intoxicated schoolboy wandering into the court while it was in session. He wore a fancy suit and cane while being oblivious to nearly everything around him. Judge King ordered the boy to come forward, who introduced himself as Julius Caesar. In response, the judge told the sheriff to throw the boy in jail until he learned how to behave himself. This courthouse made its mark but was taken down in 1948 to make way for the next one.

The third courthouse was completed in 1950, built by E. Oren Smith at a cost of 325,000 dollars on an entirely cash basis. The building was also contracted by S.J. Curry and Company from Albany, Georgia. This courthouse might have been the most unusual, with its use of marble, granite, and locally manufactured brick. It was one of the few courthouses in Georgia to make use of the Art Deco style. It even had a bomb shelter in the basement!

The courthouse was a two-story stucco structure with wide eaves at the roof line and a central entrance on the south side of the first floor. The courtroom was on the north side of the second story.

A famous trial surrounding this courthouse was another murder case, where Carl Isaacs was guilty of murdering the Alday family of Seminole County and was sentenced to death. This courthouse was eventually remodeled by the JMA Architecture Inc. of Perry, with the Hogan Construction Group of Norcross being the contractor. This change brought about the Houston County Government Building, which still stands today.

The final courthouse was built in 2002 on 201 Perry Parkway, by Turner Construction Company of Atlanta. Several companies, including HDR Architecture, JMA Architecture, Inc., and Michael + Associates Architecture, worked together to construct it.

The building is made up of two stories, with a brick, concrete, and glass structure. Located on spacious landscaped grounds, the central entrance has a wide concrete pediment held up by four pillars. The roof line is flat, and windows are separated by red brick dividers. This courthouse is still used today, a remnant of the long history and purpose that courthouses have served to Perry.