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THE SEA COAST ECHO • COURTHOUSE MEMORIES
SATURDAY, AUGUST 8, 2009
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The historic, newly-renovated Hancock County Courthouse will officially re-open today with a special ceremony and tour starting at 6 p.m.
BY DWAYNE BREMER Staff Writer
The historic Hancock County Courthouse will make its triumphant return today at 6 p.m. when it is unveiled to the public in a pomp-and-circumstance ceremony worthy of a conquering hero.
For nearly a century, the courthouse has been a symbol of strength, grandeur, and pride in our community.
Walking up the granite steps and into the rotunda of the courthouse may be as close as many of us will ever come to taking a trip in a time machine.
The building has much the same look as it did when it was first dedicated in 1911, but it is now complete with all the modem necessities to function in today's society.
The original building cost about $25,000. The renovations and repairs made after Hurricane Katrina cost slight-
ly under $6 million.
"It's very exciting to know we are ready to go back to the courthouse," Circuit Clerk
Karen Ruhr said. "When you work at a place for 25 years, its kind of like coming home."
Although the new facility has been open for two weeks, county leaders have chosen today to celebrate its grand opening.
The festivities will be coupled with Second Saturday and large crowds are expected to celebrate the milestone.
Guest speakers will include Hancock County Board of Supervisors President Rocky Pullman; Ashley Edwards from Gov. Haley Barbour's staff; Myrtis Franks of Sen. Thad Cochran's staff; MEMA Director Mike Womack; and Lee Youngblood of the Mississippi Development Authority.
After the ceremony, the county will host an open house and provide tours of the new facility.
After Katrina, there was much discussion about whether to renovate the courthouse or build another one.
The county chose to fix the historic building for court functions and build a separate annex site on Hwy. 90 across from Hancock Medical for all other government services.
In 2006, the board hired Pryor and Morrow Architects of Columbus, Ms., to come up with designs for the renovation of the building as well as the construction of a the new annex.
Compton Engineering has worked alongside Pryor and Morrow on every step of the project.
The courthouse renovations are being performed by Witherington Construction of Mobile.
The renovation project included interior and exterior repairs of the existing court-
Butler Snow
CONGRATULATES HANCOCK
County on the grand
REOPENING OF THE
historic Hancock County Courthouse.
Butler Snow
butlersnow.com Butler, Snow, O’Mara, Stevens & Cannada, PLLC
Gulfport, MS 228-864-1170 Bay St. Louis, MS 228-467-5426 Memphis, TN 901-680-7200 Jackson, MS 601-948-5711