Hinds County Courthouse (Raymond, Mississippi)

Hinds County Courthouse
U.S. National Register of Historic Places
Raymond Courthouse
Location	E. Main and N. Oak Sts., Raymond, Mississippi
Coordinates	32°15′37″N 90°25′24″W / 32.26028°N 90.42333°WCoordinates: 32°15′37″N 90°25′24″W / 32.26028°N 90.42333°W
Built	1857
Architect	Weldon,George; Weldon,Thomas
Architectural style	Greek Revival
MPS	Raymond and Vicinity MRA
NRHP Reference #	86001706[1]
Added to NRHP	July 15, 1986

Hinds County Courthouse in Raymond, Mississippi, also known as Raymond Courthouse, was built in 1857. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1986.^[1]

The Hinds County Courthouse, built during 1857-1859, is "celebrated as one of the state's finest Greek Revival public buildings". It was built by George and Tom Weldon, "a famed architectural and contracting firm from the Natchez area who also designed the 1858 Old Warren County Courthouse in Vicksburg, 45 miles east, which is a National Historic Landmark. The design of the courthouse is credited to Jackson, a slave who worked as a draftsman for the Weldon brothers and also designed the Old Warren County Courthouse. As was true for many antebellum buildings, the workmen were also skilled slaves."^[2]

The Hinds County Courthouse in Raymond, Mississippi was constructed by the famous Weldon Brothers of Woodville, Mississippi in the Greek Revival Style and has been rated by the National Archives of History as one of the ten most perfectly constructed buildings in the United States. The Weldons were Scotch-Irish immigrants and were credited with the design and construction of numerous public and private buildings of the era including the Warren County Courthouse in Vicksburg. The Weldons trained 100 slaves in construction techniques and began construction in 1857 with completion in 1859.

The courthouse is an excellent example of the Greek Revival Style as it was applied to public buildings in the period which dated from 1820 to 1861and was near its end at the time of construction of the Hinds County Courthouse. Among the Building's contemporaries of equal historic importance are the Old State Capitol Building in Jackson, built in 1839, the Mississippi Governor's Mansion, built in 1842, and the Jackson City Hall, built in 1847. Of these four, the Courthouse at Raymond is unique in that its design is attributed to John Jackson, an African-American employed by the Weldons, perhaps, one of the building's most historic features.

The building's walls are constructed of load bearing masonry with stucco coating scored to resemble stone. All four elevations of the two-story rectangular building have two-story porticos with Doric columns and pedimented gables also constructed of load bearing masonry with stucco coating. The front and rear porticos have six columns and the side portico have four columns. An entrance to the first and second floors is located on each facade. The entrances on the second floor open onto balconies with cast iron railings. The corners of the building are accentuated with massive Doric pilasters. The first floor windows are six-over-nine double hung sash with iron shutters found on each side. The second floor windows are nine-over-nine double hung sash without shutters. Cast iron pediments top each window and entrance. Some of the buildings original innovations such as the forced air furnace were cut due to cost restraints. The Building, from its massive timber attic framing to the handmade brick and mortar that form its walls, is constructed almost entirely of locally produced materials. The cast iron detailing of the window surrounds speak to the early pioneer days of the Industrial Revolution and modern prefabrication techniques.

An 1857 issue of the Hinds County Gazette promoting the construction of the Courthouse states that the foundation of the building was complete and all the brick needed for the project was ready and that the structure will be an ornament to the village, and a monument of the good taste, public spirit and the liberality of the people of Hinds County. This Building is an important milestone in the settlement and development of the county, the state, and the nation. The Building is an irreplaceable link to that important time in our history.

Shortly after completion of the courthouse, the Civil War brought disaster to the land and an end to the flourishing Greek Revival Period. During Grant's campaign to capture the Confederate bastion of Vicksburg and following the nearby Battle of Champion's Hill, in 1863, the courthouse was used as a field hospital. There are few records of damage that the Building may have sustained during the war. The earliest known photograph of the Building depicts a desolate structure with no lawn, trees, or landscaping improvements. There is no doubt, however, that this structure is otherwise much the same as we see today.

In 1869 the county was divided into two judicial districts. The first district was located in Jackson, and the second was designated for Raymond. As far as records indicate, the courthouse has been in continuous service since its original construction. The Building underwent some repair in the late 1890s, but the extent of those repairs are not known. A remodeling was also undertaken at about the same time on the Warren County Courthouse in Vicksburg. The exterior of the Warren County Courthouse was extensively altered and elaborate detailing was added at that time. Fortunately, the Hinds County Courthouse did not get the same treatment. Other repairs were made during the depression era and a final remodeling was conducted in the early 1950s with the addition of indoor plumbing, restrooms, elevator and cupola restoration. The old cupola had been lost in a tornado that struck in Raymond a few years previously.

Although Raymond is a small town today, in its beginning it held great prominence in the state because of its position as the county seat. A 1903 article appearing in the local paper described the importance of three Hinds County towns during the 1840s and 1850s. The article stated that Amsterdam was the seat of commerce, Clinton the seat of learning, and Raymond the seat of Justice. Evidence of the town's growth and prosperity is in the many buildings that remain from that period.

Main Street in Raymond is dotted the historic structures. The wood frame Church of the Nativity of the blessed virgin Mary Catholic Church, with its Palladian windows, was constructed in 1885. The Depot was built in 1889. St. Mark's Episcopal Church was built in 1855 and served, along with the courthouse, as a hospital after the Battle of Raymond. The Keith Press Building was constructed in 1830 and is located directly behind the courthouse. Collectively these and other structures define the architectural character of Raymond's historic downtown. With its massive size and location in the town center, the courthouse is the heart of the community. Rehabilitation of this building will assure its continued public use and preserve a key element of the historic fabric of the town and county. -- From Historic Significance Report prepared by architects Canizaro Cawthon Davis prior to the 1999 exterior restoration

References

1. National Park Service (2009-03-13). "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service.
2. "National Register of Historic Places Inventory/Nomination: Raymond Historic District" (PDF). and accompanying photos