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Listed September 18, 1980, this outstanding load-bearing brick,
Victorian Romanesque style courthouse trimmed in granite, was
designed by noted regional architect J. W. Golucke and built c 1905.
The building is distinctive for its Classic Revival bell and clock
tower, which is covered entirely with sheet metal. In 1992, the
courthouse was renovated. The bell and clock tower, which was
“leaning”, was restored structurally and architecturally.
The central rotunda was restored, revealing the original arched
openings, which were retained in the restoration as was the pressed
metal ceiling. A liquid cement coating applied to the metal ceiling
in 1969 was removed. The courtroom was completely refurbished as
were all other areas in the present building. The exterior was
recoated with a breathable masonry coating in colors similar to the
colors of the original building.
Provision for access to and use of all areas of the courthouse by
the physically handicapped was accomplished by the addition of
ramps, a new stairway, elevator, and toilet facilities. The
Courthouse grounds feature a retaining wall with massive native
granite blocks taken form the Jones County Jail located in Clinton,
which was built by Jacob Hutchings, a slave who was a stone mason
and a Jones County representative in Reconstruction Days.
The county completed another renovation project on the courthouse at
a cost of approximately $800,000 last year which was funded by Special Purpose
Local Option Sales Tax.
Additional Photos of the Jones County Courthouse:
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