The Court House will be located on what is known as Dr. Henry's potato lot, on riverfront, below the cotton warehouse.
The entire $5,000 bonds issued by Leflore County for the purpose of building a courthouse were disposed of last week through the agency of Capt. Sproles, to B. T. Marshall, of Carroll County at 95 cents on the dollar. Considering the state of the money market, this is a very good sale, and shows that the financial administration of our county affairs commands the confidence of moneyed men.
What we have hitherto designated as the new court house building, has become our new Court House, by its completion and acceptance of it by the commissioners appointed by the county authorities to receive it, the payment of the contract price to the builders, the passing of receipts, and delivery of the keys to the sheriff. The building was formally accepted on the first day of May, and is now, by order of the Board, the Court House of Leflore County.
The entire cost of the building, including all sums paid for alterations, extras, etc., amounts to $7,317.50, only and including the discount and total interest on bonds the final total expense is but $8,317.50.
Capt. S. R. Keesler has purchased the Greenwood Steam Laundry. He will have the machinery removed to another place, sell or dispose of it and convert the building into an Armory. It is an ideal place for an Armory. The house is commodious, the grounds in connection with the Court Yard are ample for drilling and should an entertainment be given, then it will be a delightful place for out of door amusement. Capt. Keesler, by his manly and efficient conduct, has excited great interest in the company which he commands, and I have no doubt but that he will be given all the encouragement and financial aid necessary to make the Armory the best in the State. The Company should be an object of county rather than local pride, and it is hoped that some of our wealthy planters may see the propriety as well as the necessity of making a substantial donation to it.
From The Commonwealth, August 9, 1901
The Commonwealth presents herewith a cut of the new court house of Leflore County soon to be erected by the plans of Mr. R.H. Hunt, the architect.
The cut gives a good idea of the magnificent proportions and artistic appearance of the new court house, which will be modern in every way. The building will be of pressed brick and stone trimmings. The roof will be made of tiling, while the tower roofing will be a copper. The building will have four entrances, one on each side, with wide cross halls. From the main entrance a stairway leads to the second floor where the courtroom will be located.
The first floor will contain the offices of the Chancery Clerk, Circuit Clerk, Sherriff, and County Superintendent. Toilet rooms will also be located on this floor. On the landing between the first and second floors, a large waiting room for ladies has been provided. This will also have toilet attached.
In addition to the courtroom on the second floor, which, with the galleries, will seat about a 1,000, there will be two petit jury rooms, a grand jury room, consoltation room, two witness rooms, one spare office, and a dormitory room where the juries may lodge at night.
With the modern sanitary plumbing, steam heat and other modern equipment, this new court house will be decidedly the best and most imposing one in the State, and will be an ornament to the town and county and a monument to the enterprise of her peerless people.
From the Greenwood Commonwealth, November 5, 1904.
The two residences recently purchased by the County from Mrs. T. Staige Mayre have been sold by the committee representing the County to Hon. A. F. Gardner. The building now occupied by Mrs. Mayre will be moved the first week in January, while the other will be removed later, so that there will be no obstacle in the way of the construction of the courthouse on the site now occupied by the residences.
From The Commonwealth, December 3, 1904
The Board of Supervisors Tuesday let the contract for the handsome new court house, plans for which were accepted some time ago. R. Jesty & Co., of Winona, were the succesful bidders, their bid being $74,032. Several bids were offered by leading contracts from different places, but Jesty & Co. carried off the plum. They have done considerable work of this kind throughout the State and have the reputation of being reliable and skillful workmen.
The heating contract was let to Sodemen Heat and Power Co. of St. Louis for $2,618.
Greenwood secured the contract for the plumbing, it being awarded to Mr. J.T. Phillips, of this city, who is recognized as a first class man in his line.
The various contractors filed approved bonds, and the work on the new building will commence as soon as the old building can be cleared away.
It will be remembered that some time ago the Board of Supervisors tried to buy the lot where the brick stable of the Guyton Harrington Co. stands, in order to give more room for Court Square. The company refused to sell the property at any price. Recently, while Gov. Vardaman was in St. Louis buying the mules and horses for the State farms, he had a conversation with Mr. Harrington about the matter, and the latter, after a more thorough understanding of the matter, agreed to sell the place if the county still desires to buy it, and is willing to accept any reasonable price for it.
This fact has been communicated to Mayor Vardaman, and he will bring the matter to the attention of the Board at once, so that the deal may be made in time to include the lot in the Court Square when it shall be laid out.
From the Greenwood Commonwealth, March 11, 1905.
S. Driscom, foreman of the iron work on the new court house, while erecting the beams in the roof of the building, the support on which he was standing gave way and he fell to the scaffold on the second floor, a distance of 22 feet, resulting in injuries from which he died within an hour, or so.
Mr. Driscom was 61 years of age, a competent mechanic and a clever man. His remains were taken to Birmingham, Ala., (his home), for interment. He was held in high esteem by his employer.
From The Commonwealth, January 26, 1906
At the recent meeting of the Board of Supervisors, the contract was closed for the purchase of the lots and stables of the Guyton, Harrington Co., on the northeast corner of the courthouse block, the consideration being $5000.00.
This gives the county a title to the whole block on which her magnificent new courthouse is located, and when the old stables are moved away and the grounds have been properly graded,"Court Square" will be indeed a thing of beauty.
Contractor Bryan is now engaged moving the old Arnold residence from the grounds, and we suppose the grading of the grounds will be begun as soon as the old court house and the stables are torn down and removed, which should be done as soon as possible.
From The Commonwealth, January 25, 1907
Greenwood now has its war trophy, and the captured gun was set up yesterday on the northeast corner of Court Square. The gun is merely placed in position and awaits the completion of a permanent foundation.
The gun is an 88-millimeter rifle, captured from Austrians, and was shipped to Greenwood under the auspices of the local post of the American Legion.
It is proving an attraction for those interested in the weapons used in the great World War.
From The Greenwood Daily Commonwealth, July 31, 1925
Doors and passageways into the annex to the Leflore County Courthouse have been opened, and the finishing touches are being placed on this magnificent addition to the county's official building.
There still remains a great amount of fitting and trimming, but only in the smaller details, before the building will be ready for the official opening. The final date of the completion cannot yet be set, however, because of the non-arrival of some of the material for the jail work which occupies the upper two stories of the annex.
This handsome annex, erected at the cost of $125,000, adds to the beauty of the court house, which is the most magnificent building in Greenwood from the standpoint of architectural appearance. The annex is in keeping with the original design, built of the same material, and so planned that it blends into a harmonious whole. The building was planned by Frank R. McGeoy, local architect, who has supervised its construction by the Estes-Williams Company of Memphis.
From The Greenwood Commonwealth, January, 20, 1927
Leflore County now owns its own courthouse, and $100,000 of the county's indebtedness has been wiped off. This morning Chancery Clerk A. R. Bew forwarded a county warrant for $102,067.48 to the Hibernia Bank and Trust Company in payment of the bonds issued in 1904 for the purpose of constructing Leflore County's handsome courthouse.
The attention of those who are finding mismanagement rampant in governmental affairs might be called to the fact that Leflore County has the money in the bank to pay this warrant, built up during the quarter of a century in a sinking fund.
When the present courthouse was built in 1904, T. C. Garrott was sheriff; C. W. Crockett, chancery clerk; J. B. Humphreys, circuit clerk; R. W. Williamson, county attorney. The Board of Supervisors was composed of F. M. Aldridge, president; R. A. Joiner, Eli Ethridge, Uriah Ray and S. I. Brown.
R. H. Hunt was the architect and F. Jesty & Co., the contractors.
From The Greenwood Commonwealth, November 30, 1929
The Westminster Chimes and clock installed in the Courthouse tower will be formally presented to Leflore County in an appropriate service Thursday morning at 11:45. The service will be held in the court room, and will be of some thirty minutes duration.
W. T. Rich, president of the Board of Supervisors of Leflore County will be master of ceremonies.
Invocation will be delivered by Dr. A. T. McIlwain, presiding elder of the Greenwood district of the Methodist Conference.
Presentation will be made by Mrs. Lizzie George Henderson, whose magnificent donation to the county is in memory of the late Dr. T. R. Henderson. The speech of acceptance on behalf of the people of the county will be made by Littleton Upshur.
Members of the Board of Supervisors, city officials, and other notables will be special guests for the services, and as an addition mark of tribute to Dr. Henderson, the stores of Greenwood will be closed during the time of the services.
From The Greenwood Commonwealth, December 24, 1934
All business will cease in Greenwood for forty-five minutes beginning at 11:30 tomorrow morning during the period in which the formal presentation of the clock and Westminster Chimes given to Leflore County by Mrs. Lizzie George Henderson, in memory of the late Dr. T. R. Henderson, will be held.
The presentation ceremony will be held in the court room of the Leflore County courthouse beginning promptly at 11:45.
Hon. W. T. Rich, president of the Leflore County Board of Supervisors will be master of ceremonies.
Dr. A. T. McIlwain, presiding elder of the Greenwood district will deliver the invocation.
Mrs. Lizzie George Henderson will formally present the clock and chimes to the people of Leflore County and Littleton Upshur will accept on behalf of the people.
The balcony of the court room will be reserved for the colored people.
From The Greenwood Commonwealth, December 26, 1934
The massive drinking fountain at the North door of the courthouse which for 14 years has quenched the thirst of Greenwood citizens is again being put in order by the city. This fountain which was formerly visited by several hundred thirsty citizens daily in the summer was presented to the City of Greenwood for being the cleanest city in the state in an inspection made of Class A cities by the State Board of Health in 1915. The fountain went dry during the drought of 1930 and as the well supplying water to it is under the courthouse, the labor involved in restoring the flow was too great to consider at that time. When the annex to the courthouse was built, it was necessary to build over the well but the danger of the well going dry at that time was unforeseen or the citizens of Greenwood might have raised an objection. The reviving powers of this fountain are said to be almost as powerful as the famous "Fountain of Youth".
From The Greenwood Commonwealth, August 11, 1931