Georgia Courthouse Disasters: Walker County

<- Georgia Courthouse Disasters

The Walker County courthouse at Lafayette was set on fire about 2 a.m. the morning of February 2, 1883. The blaze destroyed the building along with almost all of the county’s records, dating back fifty years. Multiple arson attempts over the following months all targeted the county’s records. The last known attack was made at the new courthouse about 1 a.m. on September 6, 1883, seven months after the old courthouse burned. That fire was discovered and extinguished almost as soon as it was started about us. All of the arson attempts were blamed on the same unknown person.

“Brief State Specials,” Atlanta Constitution, February 3, 1883, p. 2.
Milledgeville Union and Recorder, February 6, 1883, p. 4.
“Trying to Destroy Records,” New York Times, September 7, 1883, p. 1.