OLD WAKULLA COUNTY COURTHOUSE

In 1892, fire destroyed the first Wakulla County courthouse. Two years later, George Washington Tully and Thomas McGlynn completed this courthouse using native heart pine material. Located in the center of the town plat, this wood frame building featured a prominent intersecting gable roof, which was complemented inside by mitered joined hallway floorboards. In addition to wide hallways and large windows, the building’s cupola was topped with a hand-carved mullet weathervane. From 1893-1949, it housed court activities and all constitutional officers. Wakulla County was still very rural, with livestock roaming the yard and outhouse facilities serving the building’s users. In 1948, plans were made for the construction of a modern masonry courthouse at the same site. This building was relocated 500 feet southwest, a move that tested its construction. It was winched across the site using giant roller logs; observers noted that it did not sag, crack, or show any sign of strain. Since the masonry courthouse’s dedication in 1949, the building has been used by the health department, library, and chamber of commerce. In 1976, the Old Wakulla County Courthouse was listed on the National Register of Historic Places.