The brass clock on the old Habersham courthouse no longer works, but if it did, it would be ticking down the minutes to its demise. Crews are scheduled to start demolishing the courthouse on Monday, March 24, ending an era that began 60 years ago when the building was built.
Once the nerve center of Habersham County government and our rural way of life, the old courthouse on Monroe Street has sat vacant and decaying since 2018. A failing roof led to leaks and mold that have since made the facility uninhabitable and, until recently, unsellable.
Last month, the city of Clarkesville struck a deal with the county to buy the building and property for $1,000,000. The contract also included $190,000, which the city agreed to pay for demolition.
The countdown is on.
WATCH Video tour of the old Habersham County courthouse
A last look inside
When Monday rolls around, crews are scheduled to begin the abatement process to remove potentially lethal asbestos from the building. Once that is done, wrecking crews will begin tearing down the walls of what many have long considered the ugliest courthouse in Georgia.
Before the trashing and smashing begin, government representatives offered local media a chance to revisit the halls, courtrooms, and offices that were once an integral part of daily life in Habersham County. A team from Now Habersham and members of other local media outlets toured the facility one last time, equipped with breathing masks, cameras, and curiosity.
Over the years, county leaders have ignored the property, refusing to budget funds to maintain it. The years of neglect are evident. The paneling is peeling in the once stately courtroom with its high ceilings and wood veneer walls, and row after row of sturdy wood benches sit blackened with mold and rot.
Most of the offices are empty. Still, you can find the occasional office chair, desk, filing cabinet, and even a few documents. An old court calendar in one of the judges’ chambers dates back to 2013, and maps left in the old planning office are outdated.
A shared history
As the tour wound through the building, visitors’ footsteps bounced off the walls of the long-abandoned, echoey hallways, delivering a jolt of life to a facility long dead.
It wasn’t always like this.
For decades, the courthouse stood at the heart of this community. Citizens came here to vote, pay taxes, and make their voices heard at county commission meetings. They dug through old deed books, birth certificates, and death records, tracing property lines and family roots. Disputes were filed in the clerk’s office and settled in court, and at one point, inmates spent their days waving to passersby from the narrow windows of the old county jail on the third floor.
This old courthouse was the backdrop for some of life’s most pivotal moments. Couples married and families grew through adoption here. Dreams unraveled through the pain of divorce. Out on the lawn, ordinary lives were transformed into extraordinary service as military recruits and draftees boarded the Trailways bus, bound for duty. A war memorial sits near the old bus stop, where many began their journey, and some never returned.
With every step, the courthouse hallways echo life’s stories—some joyful, some sad—all woven into the fabric of a community that once passed through its doors.
These halls and walls will soon be gone, but the impact of what happened here will reverberate for generations. It may be the ugliest courthouse in Georgia, but it was ours, and it will always have a place in our shared history.
Now Habersham would like to thank the City of Clarkesville, Habersham County Government, Public Information Officer Ashlyn Brady, and Public Facilities Director Mike Bramlett for providing us the opportunity to tour the old courthouse one last time.
