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Interim County Manager Rob Morton addressed the crowd of more than 50 who came out to celebrate the renovation of the Courthouse.
Interim County Manager Rob Morton is pictured with his father and co-Interim County Manager Tom Morton looking on as he spoke.
The cornerstone for the courthouse with the year 1895 on it.
Construction was accompanied by this sign for a year.
George Norris from Pike Historic Preservation addressed the crowd.ZEBULON - The celebration at the Pike County Courthouse took place on Saturday, June 8, 2013. The Courthouse, originally built in 1895, received a renovation and an addition that added much needed additional space for the many departments in the Courthouse. The renovation was paid for with a Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax (SPLOST) that added one penny to items bought in Pike County with the proceeds going toward renovating the Courthouse and making improvements to roads, streets, and bridges in Pike County.
Interim County Manager Rob Morton began his remarks by saying that this project was possible because of the citizens of Pike County. He told how the Courthouse was when he first began working in Pike County as an attorney in 1991. He said that the first thing that was noticed was the ceiling with paint flakes that occasionally fell on those in the Courtroom and said that those in the Courtroom could not hear the judges. He said that as a practicing attorney in Pike County, he really appreciates the efforts that have been made to resolve those issues.
Many were honored who had a part in this project since the beginning: the family of past Commission Chairman Doug Mangham, Commissioners Roosevelt Willis, Tommy Powers, Parrish Swift, and Don Collins, former County Clerk Teresa Watson and Director of Planning and Development, David Allen who worked as co-project managers on this renovation after the county manager left the county during this project, Public Works Director Todd Goolsby, Clerk of Superior Court Carolyn Williams and her staff, Judge Mack Crawford and the Superior Court Judges in our district, the Courthouse employees who "endured business as normal" during construction, Mike Cartner of Spratlin and Sons along with Duncan who was the project manager on site, Carter, Watkins, & Associates who wrote the history of our Courthouse and were very responsive to our needs along with Ben Carter who was on site every two weeks during the entire process, and Sheriff Jimmy Thomas and Major Jason Smith for attending numerous meetings about the security in the Courthouse. He also acknowledged Voter Registrar Sandi Chamblin, County Clerk Jo Ann Wrye, and Teri Totten for their hard work for today's celebration, and he thanked the current Board of Commissioners for seeing this project through to completion.
Special thanks was given to the SPLOST Committee for their work to pass the referendum that provided funding to renovate the Courthouse. "I don't know if the referendum would have even passed without the SPLOST Committee," said Mr. Morton. He said that they went door to door and spent long hours to convince the public to vote for the referendum. Chairman Joy Walker, Doug Rounds, Riley Shackelford, Jeff Kenerly, Tommy Burnsed, and Merritt Spier were honored for this hard work.
George Norris from Pike Historic Preservation, a 501(c)3 established in 2003, then spoke about the Courthouse and honored those who worked to bring it back to former grandeur. The Pike County Courthouse was one of several sites that Pike Historic Preservation named as endangered and called for this historic treasure to be restored or renovated rather than just let go. This is the first time that this organization has recognized a public project for this award. The people of Pike County are the owners of the Pike County Courthouse, he said, because they provided the funding for this project. He also commended the employees and staff in the Courthouse that enduring the renovation with patience and saved money for the county by remaining in the Courthouse during the renovation and the Board of Education for their help in allowing the courts to meet at their facility. This made the project economically feasible, he said.
Others who were honored include the Pike County Board of Commissioners who made the decision to renovate and author the referendum, the SPLOST Committee who did the organization and convinced the public to support this project, and the current Board of Commissioners who made the decision to see this project through to completion. "You completed a project that we can be proud of," Norris said.
But he praised the citizens of Pike County most of all for supporting and paying the 1 cent tax that paid for this project. "We couldn't do this without the citizens of the county," he said. This renovation was paid for, funded, and supported by citizens with the SPLOST program.
Click here for Before and After Pictures of the Courthouse. The changes are nothing less than amazing! Click here to read the article "SPLOST Committee Members Tour the Renovated Courthouse" for more pictures and information. More pictures are below this article.
Commissioners from the original Board of Commissioners are honored by Pike Historic Preservation.
Members of the SPLOST Committee are honored by Pike Historic Preservation.
Sheriff Jimmy Thomas explains about the secured side of the Courthouse and how prisoners are brought back and forth to Court.
Citizens enjoy the celebration of the renovated Pike County Courthouse.
From The Pike County Journal
Zebulon, Pike County, Georgia, August 16, 1895
Transcribed by Lynn Cunningham on November 8, 2002
The Corner Stone of the New Court House Laid Last Friday
One of the largest crowds that ever assembled in Zebulon on any occasion was that which came together here last Friday to witness the laying of the corner stone of the new courthouse. There were perhaps 2,500 people present, and they were here from all the adjoining counties. At 10:30 o’clock a.m. Hon. John P. Shannon, Grand Master of the Masonic Lodge of Georgia arrived via Griffin accompanied by H.C. Burr and about fifteen members of the Griffin lodge. They proceeded at once to the Montgomery lodge room and a occasional grand lodge was opened by the grand master. The officers appointed for the occasion were as follows: H.C. Burr, Deputy G.M.; B.M. Owen, G.S.W.; J.H. Howell, G.J.W.; J.D. Carriker, G.Treas.; W.M. Hartley, G.S.; J.L. Reid, G.Mar.; C.A. Cooper, G.Architect; J.B. Ball, G.S.D.; C.C. Owen, G.J.D.; J. Lowenstein, bearer of three great lights; J.M. Martin, G.S.S.; J.B. Mathews, G.J.S.; E.K. Akin, G.O.; J.W. Ford, G. Tyler.
After opening the lodge, the grand Marshall formed a procession and the members marched to the new court house where a platform had been constructed for the use of the grand officers. The beautiful Masonic ceremony was then begun. The stone was halted three times as it was lowered to position and the grand honors were given three times.
J.H. Howell, Master of the Montgomery lodge placed an organ on the platform and Mrs. A.H. Rawls of Harralson furnished excellent music for the occasion. In lowering the stone to it’s position it was accompanied by sweet and wonderful music.
Then a list of the articles for depositing in the corner-stone were read and deposited as follows:
Holy Bible.
Names of County Officers.
Roll of Members of Montgomery Lodge No. 31 Free and Accepted Masons.
By-laws, square and compasses.
List of Ministers and Religious Denominations of Pike county.
Pictures of the Old Court House.
Seven Bills of Confederate, State and County Money.
Pike County Journal, Home Journal, Barnesville Gazette, Towaliga Messenger, Gospel Messenger, Christian Advocate, Christian Index and Christian Observer.
List of Pioneer Settlers of Pike county.
Roll of Members of Mt. Olive Lodge No. 122 F. and A.M.
List of Officers of Pinta Lodge No. 88 F. and A.M. Barnesville, Ga.
List of Officers of Hollonville Lodge No. 70 F. and A.M.
Hon. Robt. L. Beruer of Forsyth consented to deliver the oration, but a telegram announcing his illness consequent inability to be present explained his absence. The grand master was called upon to act as a substitute and his address was one of the happiest and best ever heard in Zebulon. He won the admiration and goodwill of all who heard him.
After the address dinner was spread on tables that had been arranged in the shade of the large oaks and the large crowd was fed. The masonic lodges at Hollonville and Molena contributed their almost entire membership to the procession and they brought big baskets full of eatables.
It was a great day in Zebulon and one that will be remembered.
Those who examined the plans of the new court house and the workmanship and material that have gone into the building are delighted with the prospect that Pike is to have one of the best and prettiest court houses in the state.