Not many counties can say they still have their very first courthouse still in use, but Hamblrn County can. The county was formed in 1870 and for a few years court met in a Morristown store.
The courthouse was designed by architect A.C. Bruce of Knoxville. He drew up three plans, costing from $10,000 to $18,000, and county leaders chose the most expensive plan. The final construction cost came in at $21,750 and was finished in 1874.
The original main entrance faces south and includes a double balcony for speakers at rallies. The courtroom is on the second floor. Originally, there were two ground floor rooms without windows called "The Dungeons."
The building is three stories, but since it is built on a slope, today's entrance on the north side makes it appear two stories when over there. it is built with a tall central pavilion with slightly lower wings flanking the center, all of which are embellished with corner quoins. A tall, mansard-roofed cupola is atop the center of the roof. The rest of the roof is a combination of low hip and gable construction with mansard roof components.
An expansion was made in the early 1950's as matching wings were added to either side, matching the original design. An interior redesign was complete in 1968.
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