In 1889 the Rhea County Court moved the county seat to Dayton (previously Smith’s Crossroads) from Washington, and appropriated $35,000 for the building of a courthouse. The courthouse in Washington was torn down and bricks from that building were used in the construction of the new courthouse, thus building a relationship between this new courthouse and the former one in Washington. Built in 1890-91, the Rhea County Courthouse is a combination of Romanesque Revival and Italian Villa-style architecture. The Knoxville architectural firm of Wm. Chamberlin and Company designed the building and Wm. Dowling and J.R. Taylor, Chattanooga contractors built it. Our courthouse was used as a model for other buildings, and is significant in that it is the first county courthouse designed by a firm that would design courthouses in at least four southern states and Missouri. The main staircase links the floors of the courthouse together; the doors and their frames show the bulls-eye blocks, which represent the beautiful wood craftsmanship of the time which the courthouse represents. (The courthouse was opened for business in 1892.)This building is one hundred and thirty years old this year and has been in constant use as a courthouse since it was built, except for being closed at the present time due to its offices and courts being moved to the new Rhea County Justice Center.
The courthouse has always served as a place of historical meaning and importance in Rhea County. During May of 1912 the state convention for the United Daughters of the Confederacy was held in Dayton, hosted by the local V.C. Allen Chapter. During this time, Confederate veterans were honored, along with mention of the Rhea County Confederate girls company which helped local soldiers during the war. The courthouse was decorated in patriotic colors and occupied by large crowds during this convention. (The V.C. Allen Chapter, UDC had only been organized for two years when it was chosen to host the state convention.)
Then, in 1913, the courthouse was the scene for bankruptcy transactions of the Dayton Coal and Iron Company. While bankruptcy proceedings of the company remained in the Chattanooga courts, receivership remained in the (Dayton) Rhea County Courthouse. Receivership is a court-appointed tool that can help troubled companies to avoid bankruptcy and also aid creditors to recover some monies when a borrower fails to pay.
In the early twentieth century, the Dixie Highway changed Rhea County by linking it to other areas so that many people were able to attend events in this region; when combined with the Cincinnati Southern Railway, these two modes of transportation enabled many more to attend events such as the Scopes Trial, among other occurrences. Also, Dayton is one of a few symmetrical-plan railroad towns to have a central courthouse square, with the Dixie Highway and the Cincinnati Southern Railway tying it all together.
Another important date to remember is November 7, 1972. This was when the courthouse was added to the National Register of Historic Places. It means that this courthouse, due to its historical significance, is worth preserving. According to their website, “The National Register of Historic Places is the United States federal government’s official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation.”
The next influential date is December 8, 1976, when the Rhea County Courthouse was named a National Historic Landmark. According to information from their website, “a National Historic Landmark is a building, district, object, site or structure that is officially recognized by the U.S.government for its outstanding historical significance. The Secretary of the Interior designates these places as exceptional because of their abilities to illustrate U.S. heritage. The National Park Service guides the nomination process. The courthouse is the only national landmark in Rhea County, and being a National Historic Landmark is the highest distinction of historical significance. Therefore, Rhea County and its citizens are charged with being good stewards of this building.
In addition, we need to remember another very important date associated with our courthouse, and that is July of 1925. Of course this was the famous Scopes Trial when John Scopes was tried for teaching the Darwinian theory of human evolution. Many reporters and even more onlookers came to Dayton in order to watch the trial. This event put Dayton “on the map,” with people still showing an interest in the trial today. Bryan University was one of the results of the trial which has continued long after the death of its namesake. (William Jennings Bryan died five days after the trial was over.)
The Rhea County Courthouse is not about any one event in history; it is a combination of many events from its beginning. It is about those who have tried cases, wills that have been probated, court trials, walking through those halls and rooms where our forefathers conducted the business of governing our county. The courthouse is about daily lives of everyday people, about giving Rhea County a fair government; about preservation of historical documents and most of all, touching history. These documents and the people who were part of them give us our history, our heritage and mold us into the people we have become; by keeping our courthouse open we will follow in the footsteps of those who made Rhea County a region of historical significance and a livable place for our generation and for generations to come. We need to learn from our past in order to live in the present and prepare for the future.
