BY HANNAH GOLDFINGER
FOR THE OBSERVER
LEE COUNTY — Sunday, March 1, the Auburn Heritage Association unveiled a new historical marker in front of the Lee County Courthouse.
The Lee County Courthouse was built in 1896, and it was the second of its kind. The first was built across the street from the current building.
The marker designates the history of the building on one side and lists the probate judges that have served since inception on the other side from David Read who began his term in 1867 through the county’s current Probate Judge Jere Colley who took office on Jan. 20, 2025.
In 1973, the building was placed on the National Register of Historic Places. The building has seen two fires since it was built.
Former Probate Judge Bill English shared the history of the building, census history for the county and history of the commission before the marker was unveiled — including sharing about the two county commissioners who died while in office, Johnny Lawrence (District 2) and John Andrew Harris (District 5).
The marker reads:
“Lee County was created from portions of Russell, Macon, Chambers and Tallapoosa Counties by act of the Alabama Legislature approved December 5, 1866. Lee County’s first election was held January 21, 1867. An early courthouse, built by Horace King, stood across the street from the present structure. In 1896, when W.C. Robinson was Probate Judge, erection of today’s Courthouse began. Low bid was $23,000. Architect’s fee was $1,000. Total bond issue, including the jail, was $35,000. The last bonds were paid off in the late 1930s. The building underwent a complete renovation in 1986-1987, and another, smaller one in the 2010s. PLACED ON THE NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES JULY 23, 1973. ERECTED BY THE LEE COUNTY COMMISSION AND THE AUBURN HERITAGE ASSOCIATION 2025.”
“Y’all thank you very much for coming, I know everybody sacrificed part of their Sunday afternoon,” said Probate Judge Jere Colley. “The people of Lee County and the employees here will be super excited for a new monument.”
Mary Norman, president of the Auburn Heritage Association, was present to dedicate the marker alongside English, Colley and commissioners.
“[The marker] signifies the fact that this is a very historical structure, architecturally, history-wise and everything else,” she said. “So, it definitely deserves one here.”
The courthouse had a previous historical marker but it had not been updated since 1977.
“I walked over here about two years ago and saw the one that was here and then I happened to go over to the Irish Bred Pub and [Bill English] was sitting in there having lunch and I said, ‘Bill English, this is bad,’” Norman said.
Norman said the association has completed 30 markers around the county.
“We feel as though it’s important to signify Auburn and Opelika’s history,” she said. “That’s very important to us, that is part of our mission.”
