Choctaw County was established in 1847, from portions of Sumter and Washington Counties. Initially, the community of Barrytown located in the southern part of the new county served as the temporary county seat. A log structure built around 1842 was used as the first courthouse. The decision was made to locate the county seat more centrally in the county and it was moved to Butler in 1848.
The current courthouse in Butler was built in 1906 and occupied in 1907. It is Choctaw County’s second courthouse at this location. This building has strong Beaux Arts Classicism elements commonly seen in public buildings during the early 20th century. The two-story building is made of buff-colored brick, stone, and concrete. On the front of the building is a projecting two-tiered portico. The upper tier of the portico consists of white Corinthian columns supporting a pediment and the lower tier has brick piers that support a brick arcade.
The Choctaw County Courthouse was placed on the Alabama Register of Landmarks & Heritage (ARLH) in 1997.
The courthouse is located at downtown Butler (32.089361,-88.221583 – Google Maps).
Source: 1) Historic Choctaw Tour, by Ann H. Gay: 2) ARLH Registration Form for the Choctaw County Courthouse.