After Screven County's creation in Dec. 1793, court was held in the home of Benjamin Lanier in Rocky Ford on the Ogeechee River and in the home of Benjamin Warren near Beaverdam Creek. In 1797, the legislature designated Jacksonboro as county seat, and a small courthouse was built here (though no description of it remains). In 1832, a new courthouse was built in Jacksonboro. In 1847, the county seat was moved to Sylvania, where a new courthouse was built. According to legend, this building was burned by Union forces in 1864. A new wooden courthouse was built in 1869 in the downtown square. Later, a one-story brick addition was built for housing the superior court clerk and county records. In 1896, a fire swept the city of Sylvania and destroyed the county courthouse (though the clerk's office and county records survived). In 1897, county officials contracted with Algernon Blair of Montgomery, Ala. to build a new 2-story brick courthouse for $15,000 over the site of the former courthouse. To stay within his budget, Blair dropped plans to have a clock on the courthouse tower (though a clock was added in later years). Instead, county officials used the tower as a jail. This courthouse continued in use until 1963, when county officials directed that it be torn down, to be replaced by a newer building west of downtown. [The clerk's office adjacent to the courthouse was spared and became the home of the Screven County Chamber of Commerce.] In 1964, the current courthouse was completed.
(The ugliest building in Sylvania, looks like the hospital across the street)
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 Kid Friendly  Wheelchair Access  Beware of Muggles!  Bring a pen or pencil  Historic Site
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