Washington County Court House

Washington County · dedicated 1953 · At the courthouse in downtown Sandersville.

Washington, Georgia's ninth county and first in the nation to be named for George Washington, was created in 1784 for granting land to soldiers for Revolutionary War services. Court House Square, located on the old stage coach road from Louisville to Milledgeville, is on the Dixie and Nancy Hart Highways. The present Court House Building, the third, was erected in 1899. The first was burned in "the great fire" March 24, 1855, when only five buildings in the entire town were left. The second, built with a tax levied by the State Legislature, was burned in 1864 by Sherman on his "March to the Sea." It is claimed that more Confederate soldiers went from Washington county than from any other county in the state. Fifteen military companies were organized here. Washington County has furnished two Governors - Jared Irwin, 1796 to 1798 and 1806 to 1809, and Thomas W. Hardwick, 1921 to 1923. Gov. Hardwick also had served as United States Senator and Congressman.

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David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries

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This marker is part of the Georgia Historical Marker Program, administered by the Georgia Historical Society. Marker texts and locations come from the Society's own marker database.

More markers nearby

Governor Thomas W. Hardwickunder 1 mi
Saunder's Storeunder 1 mi
Masonic Templeunder 1 mi
Jefferson Davis, Washington Countyunder 1 mi

On the National Register nearby

Holt Brothers Banking Company Building100 ft
Washington County Courthouse250 ft

Places within about 300 feet of this marker that are listed on the National Register of Historic Places. A nearby listing is not always the marker's own subject.