Chester County Courthouse — Chester, South Carolina

The Chester County Courthouse, located in the City of Chester, is the center of the judicial system for Chester County. It was constructed in 1852. Chester County is in the 6th Judicial Circuit, which includes Chester, Lancaster, and Fairfield counties. Judges are elected by the General Assembly and serve six-year terms; the clerk is chosen by a countywide election and serves a four-year term.

As of 2009, a little less than 35,000 people live in Chester County. It was one of seven counties created from the Old Camden Judicial District, which was formed in 1769. Visitors to Chester County can enjoy a day exploring Sumter National Forest, playing a round of golf at the Chester Golf Club, or picnicking at the Landsford Canal State Park.

The Chester County Courthouse is listed in the National Register as part of the Chester Historic District:

The focal point of the Chester Historic District is The Hill, a triangular-shaped plaza on an eminence at the center of the city, around which the original settlement grew, and which now includes the city hall and a relatively well-preserved collection of late nineteenth and early twentieth century commercial buildings. The district now also includes the remainder of the central business area, containing the county courthouse and the federal building, as well as most of the older residential areas of the city and the early churches that are within them. Of the 475 properties in the district, 324 are considered to contribute to its historical character. The city of Chester was formed in the late eighteenth century as Chesterville. However, most of the properties included in the district reflect the city’s history through the second half of the nineteenth and in the early twentieth centuries. As a result, the buildings display a wide variety of architectural styles reflective of stylistic trends during that time span, including Greek Revival, Gothic Revival, Victorian, Romanesque Revival, Queen Anne, Classical Revival, and Bungalow. In addition, the district reflects the city’s role as a commercial center for the surrounding county, and as its political and governmental hub.

Chester County Courthouse Map

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