Ben Hill County Courthouse facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Ben Hill County Courthouse
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 Location in Georgia (U.S. state)
Location in the United States
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| Location | E. Central Ave., Fitzgerald, Georgia |
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| Area | less than one acre |
| Built | 1909 |
| Built by | Falls Church Construction Co. |
| Architect | Henry H. Huggins |
| Architectural style | Classical Revival |
| MPS | Georgia County Courthouses TR |
| NRHP reference No. | 80000973 |
| Added to NRHP | September 18, 1980 |
The Ben Hill County Courthouse is a historic building in Fitzgerald, Georgia. It serves as the main office for Ben Hill County. This important building was added to the National Register of Historic Places on September 18, 1980. This means it is officially recognized as a special historical landmark. You can find it at East Central Avenue and South Sheridan Street.
Contents
The Courthouse's Story
How Ben Hill County Started
Ben Hill County was created in 1907. It was formed from parts of two nearby counties. These were Irwin and Wilcox counties. The city of Fitzgerald was chosen to be the county seat. A county seat is like the main town where the county government is located.
Building the Courthouse
In 1908, the people of Ben Hill County agreed to fund a new courthouse. They approved money to build it. Many architects sent in their ideas for the building. Henry H. Huggins, an architect from Virginia, was chosen. He was picked by the county leaders from fourteen different plans.
The courthouse was finished in 1909. It cost about $50,000 to build. When it was first built, the courthouse had a tall clock tower on top. However, in the middle of the 1900s, the clock tower fell. It crashed all the way down into the lobby on the first floor. It was never replaced after that.
A Memorial on the Lawn
On the lawn outside the courthouse, there is a special memorial. It is made of granite. This memorial honors the young men from Ben Hill County. It thanks them for their service during World War I. The memorial was put there by the Nathaniel Abney Chapter. This group is part of the Daughters of the American Revolution. They placed it on December 28, 1928.
