Historic Places: Sabine Parish Courthouse, Sabine Parish Louisiana Submitted by: Thelma Shields shields@eufaula.lib.ok.us Source: Sabine Index 4-29-98 ********************************************** Copyright. All rights reserved. http://usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://usgwarchives.net/la/lafiles.htm ********************************************** ************************************************ COURTHOUSE HAS HAD SEVERAL HOMES Four courthouses have served Sabine Parish. Early records of the parish indicated the Methodist Church in Many was first rented as a courthouse in 1849 at a rate of $65 per year. Prisoners at the time had to be take to and from Natchitoches for trial, as Sabine Parish had no jail. In 1858, a new jail was received by the Police Jury from the contractor, Marion F. Carter at a cost of $1,500.00 In July 1873, the question of building a courthouse was discussed and a one percent tax on the assessment of 1872 was authorized for the building purposes. R. B. Stille, W. H. Aldredge, John Davis, A Hogus, and A Harris were appointed to the building committee. In Oct 1876, the deacons of the Baptist Church were granted $25 for a years rent on their building for court purposes. In August 1879, the courthouse building project was again revived and an ordinance for a three mill tax for three years was adopted. This ordinance was sustained on Dec 2 of that year and plans for a building were received. In 1879, the Baldwin's Store was occupied by the parish officers and rent was $5 a month. On May 5, 1880, J.T. Lunt entered into contract with the Jury to erect a courthouse for $2,500 and had it completed the following year. The old jail and lot were sold to A H Hogue in August of that year for $1,600. In July 1899, the Jury voted to accept the bid of $17,000 by a Louisville, Ky firm of contractors to build a new brick courthouse on the town square. Two mills had been set aside for the construction of the building. This structure burned in 1917. It is believed that faulty electric wiring had started the blaze, but some believed later it was of incendiary orgin. The old wooden courthouse that had served the purpose until then was sold at public auction and at the Jan. 1900 meeting, the Police Jury formally accepted the new courthouse. In 1901, I D Rains was awarded the contract of erecting an ornamental iron fence around the court square for at that period, fences were believed necessary around all homes and public buildings. The third courthouse, constructed of concrete and gray brick, was built after the second courthouse burned in 1917. It was demolished in 1958 when the fourth and present courthouse was completed. **NOTE** Thelma Shields received the following email message from Shannon Clements after she typed up the Courthouse file. My name is Shannon Clements, and I am the writer of the courthouse history story, "Courthouse has had many homes," which appears on your site. feel free to e-mail me if you have any questions regarding the history of sabine parish, as I am somewhat of a novice in that area. thanks. shannonclements@cp-tel.net