The circa 1910 postcard above shows the Ben Hill County Jail and Ben Hill County Courthouse, from the perspective of Sheridan Street. The 1907 courthouse featured a dome which was removed during a renovation in 1954. I’m unsure when the parapet ( more commonly known in local circles as a “hanging tower”) on the jail was removed, but thanks to Sheriff Bobby McLemore and his wife Wanda, I now know that it was built in 1906! I really appreciate both of them taking time out of their busy days to help me confirm this. These two structures, as well as Fitzgerald’s City Hall, have all lost their most distinctive architectural features.
