Old Washington County Courthouse

The Old Washington County Courthouse was studied as part of the Historic American Buildings Survey (HABS) program in 1940. The building's architect is unknown. The wood portico shelters a wooden balcony above the main entrance. The foundation of the courthouse is composed of basalt stone three feet thick at the base. The basement contained three rooms used as jail cells along each side wall with a central hallway between them leading to doorways on the north and south. The salmon red bricks of the upper two stories were joined with limestone mortar. Six county offices were housed on the first floor, which opened for use before the third story was finished. The judges' chambers and courtroom were on the third floor. A cupola tops the center of the building; not just decorative, the tower contained a gallows with a trap door.

Although most of the settlers of Washington County during the Utah Territory years were Mormons, the courthouse was unique in that it was not funded by tithing or church donations. Instead, funds were raised by tax assessment on the settlers as citizens of Utah, usually in kind or labor, due to the barter type of economy. St. George was settled in 1861 and the county seat moved to town from the town of Washington in 1863. The judges and selectmen met to organize in September 1863 but did not meet again until September 1865. Construction on the basement began in 1866.

A sidewalk and steps leads up from East St. George Boulevard to the front door on the first level. The foyer of the currently used building - known as the Pioneer Courthouse - retains the original handcrafted wooden railing A white door under the stairs (Harry Potter style) leads to the former jail level in the basement, open for tours.. The upstairs former courtroom is still available for lectures. Admission is free. An alternate address is now used: 97 E. St. George Boulevard (the historic address was 85 East 100 North).

Smith, Melvin T.. NRHP Nomination of Old Washington County Courthouse. National Register. Washington, DC. National Park Service, 1970.

Washington County Historical Society. St. George Pioneer Corner, Remember our Heritage. June 1st 2020. Accessed September 9th 2020. https://www.stgeorgepioneercorner.com/.

Washington County Historical Society. Old Washington County Courthouse. Current Activities at the Old Pioneer Courthouse. June 1st 2020. Accessed September 9th 2020. https://wchsutah.org/buildings/old-county-courthouse9.php.