Stewart County is named for Duncan Stewart, who was a Tennessee State legislator and lieutenant governor of the Mississippi Territory. The county was created in 1803 and Dover was selected as the county seat. The first courthouse was a log structure erected in 1806 in Dover. The second courthouse was built in 1823 and was later destroyed by fire in 1862 during the Civil War. The third courthouse was built in 1870 and was a two story brick structure. The courthouse was demolished in 1965. The fourth and present courthouse was completed in 1965.
It is a Modernist architectural style that is typical of the mid-20th century. It is a three‑story rectangular building of glass and concrete. The east façade features a tall canopy supported by pillars, with a central entrance and large glass windows above. Inside, the courtroom occupies the north side of the third story. The flat roofline and clean geometric lines emphasize functionality over ornament, a departure from the decorative cupola and brickwork of the 1870 courthouse.
The courthouse houses the Circuit, Chancery, General Sessions, and Juvenile Courts of the 23rd Judicial District. Late on a Saturday afternoon, it was secured but the grounds are open and you can see an impressive veterans memorial.
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