The old Grandy Jury Room has a horseshoe-shaped table with nineteen seats. The darker seats at the far end are originals, while the lighter colored seats are reproductions installed during the renovation.
The old courtroom strongly reminded me of the courtroom in the Decatur County, Georgia Courthouse in Bainbridge. I suspect they had the same architect, as the architect of Coweta County’s is said to have designed about twenty Georgia courthouses.
The courtroom has two double doors opening on to the balconies on either side of the courthouse and overlooking the Newnan town square.
Here’s another view of the courtroom, showing the theater-style seating. The floor is made of cork, to keep the noise level down. There’s a section of the original cork flooring preserved under glass in the jury box.
So, yeah, I was pretty taken by the stairwell. Make of it what you will.
This is the interior of the courtroom from the third-floor balcony.
The cupola is sheathed in copper that was reproduced from the original during the renovation. The copper trim, including the Georgia State Seal is in some cases restored, and in other parts replaced.
One of the clock faces is made from original glass salvaged during renovation, while the other faces are reproductions. The original clockworks still keeps time and rings the bell, though with the help of an electric winding motor added sometime in the 1960s.
Much of the architectural detail, including column and pilaster capitals, and the palmettes on the window pediments are made from a mixture of plaster and horsehair, as were the originals. The decorative woodwork in the building, including window and door frames, was originally made of pine and faux-painted to look like oak. The faux-finish was reproduced during the renovation.
Here is an April 2011 feature on the renovation by Traditional Building. And here’s a good article from the local Newnan Times-Herald.
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