TheOld Glynn County Courthouse, as pictured today.
Source: The University of North Florida Digital Commons, photo by George Lansing Taylor Jr.
Located in Magnolia Square, the Old Glynn County Courthouse sits on land that was once used as a communal livestock pasture. The City of Brunswick purchased the platt of land in 1905 for the price of $1.00, and on December 27, 1906, construction began. The architect for the job was Charles Alling Gifford of Gifford & Bates Firm in New York. Already an established architect in the area, Gifford had worked on several projects on Jekyll Island, such as the Sans Souci Apartments (owned by J.P. Morgan), the Mistletoe Cottage, and the Jekyll Island Club Annex. The construction was finished in just under a year, and cost the city a total of $97,613.
The Old Glynn County Courthouse is an example of Neoclassical Revival Architecture, sometimes referred to as Beaux Architecture. This style combines renaissance ideas with traditional greek and roman features, resulting in impressive buildings known for their beauty. The building features a brick exterior, limestone stoops at the entryway, and terracotta window frames. The courtrooms have balconies, which were used to segregate the audiences during times of racial segregation. In the 1990’s, the courthouse underwent renovations in order to return the building to its original condition. Today, the courthouse is still in use as the Glynn County Probate Court.
Sources:
The Courthouse and Depot in Georgia, 1833-1910: The Architecture of Hope in an Age of Despair
by Wilber W Caldwell
Photos from http://courthousehistory.com/gallery/states/georgia/counties/glynn