This Second Empire courthouse is Hancock County’s fourth. It was designed by the firm of Parkins and Bruce and was restored in the 1970s. Sparta has been the seat of Hancock County since 1797.
[The courthouse burned in 2014 and was completely rebuilt].
Sparta Historic District, National Register of Historic Places
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The courthouse is fully restored and is gorgeous. Sparta is looking better than it has, too. I drive through every chance I get when traveling toward Forsyth County from the coast.
Fortunately, the county had full replacement insurance on the courthouse and the “empty shell” is being restored to all its former glory. In response to the comment of the nearly identical courthouse in Gainesville, there is another nearly identical courthouse still standing and fully restored in Monroe, Georgia.
Sadly, it caught fire sometime before 3 AM this morning and burned to the ground. Nothing left but an empty shell.
Thanks Brian. This is a beautiful building and one of the most amazing courthouses in GA. It is interesting also in that it is a rare example of a courthouse which had an almost identical twin in the old Hall County Courthouse which was lost to the Gainesville tornado in 1936. They were built about the same time. The Hall County building’s portico was only 3 bays wide rather than 5 and had only one window per floor instead of two in the left and right extensions. The size and detailing including the portico, dormers, mansard roof and cupola of both buildings were identical. I have wondered whether there was any skullduggery involved. Did the architect get paid twice for doing the work only once or did one or both of the two counties conspire to build twice but pay only once? :>) Considering GA politics then and now it’s certainly not out of the question..
If you chance to see this courthouse, go inside it is like going back in time