Courthouse timeline

July 1998 - Voters approve $28 million in bonds to build the judicial annex and expand the Columbia County Judicial Center. Of the bond issue, $14,875,000 is for the jail expansion and $13,840,000 is for a courthouse annex. On the same ballot, voters overwhelmingly choose an Evans location for the courthouse annex.

October 1999 - Construction plans for the nearly 70,000-square-foot building are completed.

January 18, 2000 - The contract to build the courthouse is awarded to CCI Construction, Inc. The completion date is slated to be September 2001.

February 2000 - Columbia County Commissioners grab the golden shovels and break ground for the building. During the ceremony, Commission Chairman Pat Farr reflects on the eventual opening of the facility: "On that particular day, we will have the oldest courthouse in Georgia and the newest courthouse in Georgia."

March 2001 - A steel skeleton gets walls as crews continue work on the building.

July 2001 - Crews put huge air conditioning units on top of the building, using a large crane.

July 2002 - Workers begin moving into the Judicial Center. 10th Judicial Administrative District Court Administrator Tom Gunnels moved in July 15. "I love it," Gunnels said, after a month in the building. "We are quite pleased. it is beautiful."

August 30, 2002 - County leaders gather on the steps of the building for the officials ribbon-cutting. Columbia County Probate Judge Pat Hardaway gushes: "Isn't this beautiful? Just look at this. Aren't you proud of it? I just want you to remember this building belongs to you, each of you as taxpayers of Columbia County."