Stephens County Historic Courthouse, Toccoa, GA

On April 18, 1907, ground was broken for the Stephens County Courthouse, and by 1908 the building was completed. Architect H.L. Lewman designed the courthouse, and Falls River Construction Company from Louisville, Kentucky was the contractor. Construction was completed just five years after the Simmons-Bond Inn Bed & Breakfast was built.

The architecture of the courthouse is Neoclassical Revival, which may contain Greek, Roman, or perhaps even Federal influences. The Stephens County Courthouse, specifically, is notable for its red brick façade and limestone accents. There are four Ionic columns two stories high on the north and south porticos and engaged pilasters two stories high on the east and west, as well as each corner. The roof is low-pitched and hipped, a staple of the Neoclassical style. A cupola in the center of the top of the structure houses the four-sided clock facing north, east, south, and west. Even though the Courthouse has been updated throughout the years, it still looks much the same as it did in 1908.

Visitors to the courthouse can tour the second-floor courtroom Monday through Friday, 8:30am to 5:00pm and there is no charge for admission. The courthouse is located right across the street from the Simmons-Bond Inn Bed & Breakfast and is visible from the “Colleen” and “Tiffany” guestrooms. The clock in the tower chimes on the hour and is reminiscent of small town American charm.

Touring our historic courthouse is one of many great things to do in downtown Toccoa while staying at the Simmons-Bond Inn Bed & Breakfast. Our guests also love the newly constructed train viewing platform along the railroad tracks just east of the Amtrak station, the Currahee Military Museum, and all the wonderful downtown charm on Doyle Street.

Fantastic history can be found on just about every corner in Toccoa, and our magnificent courthouse, up on the hill, is a great place to start your exploration after breakfast at the Simmons-Bond Inn Bed & Breakfast.