UPDATE: The Floyd County Board of Commissioners has approved a contract to stabilize one of Rome’s most treasured and historic buildings after a devastating fire broke out in March, with work set to begin pending final legal review.
At a special-called meeting on Monday, April 6, the board approved spending up to $520,000 to hire Quality Plus Services for critical post-fire structural stabilization. The work aims to protect surrounding properties and ensure safety for anyone in or near the courthouse. Once stabilization is complete, further evaluation of the building will continue.
The post-fire structural stabilization plan includes removing damaged bricks and wood, partially dismantling compromised courtroom walls, reinforcing 28 window openings, and installing a temporary structural band around the clock tower, approximately 45 feet high. Salvageable materials, including bricks, will be stored for possible future reuse. The project is expected to take three to four weeks after mobilization.
The board also approved an emergency $150,000 allocation to temporarily relocate courthouse operations to the former Law Enforcement Center, covering all necessary equipment for daily operations.
PREVIOUS STORY: Residents and officials are mourning the loss of what was once one of Rome’s most treasured and historic buildings after a devastating fire broke out early Monday afternoon.
“It’s a sad day,” says Jamie McCord, Floyd County Manager. “This is the last thing I anticipated I would be dealing with today. It is our landmark–our county landmark right here on the river.”
Floyd County, Georgia, leaders are discussing their emergency plan after Monday’s fire damaged the historical courthouse.
“When you live in a small town like Rome and then when something burns up like that, that’s the first thing you think about: there goes part of our heritage,” says resident Linda Langley, who’s lived in Rome her entire life and could be seen standing behind yellow caution tape watching crews fight the flames.
The Historic Floyd County Courthouse has been an integral part of this small town since 1892. But within moments, more than a century’s worth of history was destroyed after a fire broke out early Monday afternoon.
“They reported heavy smoke and fire conditions coming from the roof upon arrival and immediately sounded the second alarm,” says Rome-Floyd Fire Chief Jamie Stone.
Stone says the fire started in the attic and burned all the way down to the third, second, and first floors, causing significant damage.
Crews battled the flames for hours, but the building’s condition and weather were no match.
“The building is old, and it burned very hot and fast,” Stone says. “The wood is very dry, so we had wind-driven fire through the attic, and it also affected our hose streams, so we were having to relocate and fight against the wind in order to reach the fire.”
He says another big challenge crews faced was the location of the courthouse.
“That was when we realized we had to go into defensive operations, and we started looking at exposure, which are vehicles and other structures in the area,” he says.
While all surrounding businesses and an additional courthouse no more than 20 feet away were spared damage, the fire didn’t stop blazing for hours.
Eventually, the very top of the building collapsed, and officials declared the structure a complete loss.
Many say they’re heartbroken over the unexpected events.
“It makes you wonder what the first people in that courtroom dressed like or looked like,” Langley says. “It’s just something that is gone now forever, and people will never be able to go back through there and see it now.”
Thankfully, as far as lost records go, McCord says, while they might have lost some paper records from the last week, he says most have been digitized and backed up.
“I’m confident we’ll have everything we need, and hopefully we can get them relocated across the street pretty quickly,” McCord says.
The Floyd County Commission will consider emergency funding to relocate government operations from the courthouse, and McCord says services will continue online while plans are made for a temporary location.
“I’ve obviously got some housekeeping to do,” he says.
Most are just thankful the city of Rome is safe and sound.
“Buildings can be rebuilt, but people can’t be replaced,” McCord says. “The good thing is that everybody got out safely.”
Others, like Langley, are even finding light in the darkness.
“You can see the parts that have already fallen in,” she says, pointing to what was once the highest point of the structure. “The top part of it is probably going to go too, but the flags are still standing. That should tell everybody something.”
PREVIOUS STORY: The courts in Floyd County, Georgia, are temporarily shutting down after a major fire damaged the historic courthouse on Monday afternoon.
Officials say the fire has made the building unsafe to use and is preventing normal court operations. Because of this, a judicial emergency has been declared.
The courthouse will be closed on Tuesday, March 24, and is expected to reopen on Wednesday, March 25, unless officials decide more time is needed.
All court hearings, both civil and criminal, are postponed until further notice. Deadlines for filing paperwork or meeting court requirements are also on hold until at least March 25.
Officials say these steps are necessary to make sure the building is safe and to avoid disrupting access to the court system.
Floyd Co. Govt.
Notices about the closure will be posted on the courthouse doors and online. Judges, clerks, and other court officials across the state are also being notified.
Floyd Co. Govt.
Anyone dealing with a court-related emergency can contact the Chief Judge’s office at 706-291-5121 or the Floyd County Sheriff’s Office at 706-291-4111.
PREVIOUS STORY: The Floyd County Commission will consider emergency funding to relocate government operations after the Historic Floyd County Courthouse was destroyed by a fire on Monday afternoon.
The building, constructed in 1892, housed the offices of the Tax Commissioner, Tax Assessor, and Tag Office. County Manager Jamie McCord said all employees were safely evacuated after the fire was reported at 2:12pm, with supervisors conducting a roll call once outside.
Fire crews with the Rome-Floyd County Fire Department worked for hours to extinguish the fire as smoke and ash spread across downtown Rome. Law enforcement agencies, including the Rome Police Department, Floyd County Police Department, Floyd County Sheriff’s Office, and Georgia State Patrol, secured the area.
Commission Chair Rhonda Wallace praised first responders for their swift actions, crediting them with protecting lives and surrounding property.
“We are so thankful for the quick response and hard work of all of our first responders,” said Wallace. “From the first report of smoke by a facilities employee and their work to evacuate the building, to our 911 operators who took the calls and our law enforcement who protected the people on the ground, we thank you. And, to our Rome-Floyd Fire Department, we cannot begin to express our thanks for the preservation of life and adjoining property by your quick and professional action. It truly takes a team and we are so proud of ours.”
The courthouse was undergoing renovations funded through SPLOST and ARPA at the time of the fire. The cause remains under investigation.
County officials say services will continue online while plans are made for a temporary location. Residents can pay property taxes and renew tag registrations at the Floyd County Tax Office online. The Tax Assessor’s Office will also operate virtually, allowing residents to file exemptions, tax returns, and address changes online or by phone.
PREVIOUS STORY: The Floyd County Historic Courthouse in Rome, Georgia, caught fire on Monday afternoon.
Floyd County Government’s Facebook page said the fire was discovered around 2:20pm on March 23.
All employees inside the building were safely evacuated, according to Floyd County Manager Jamie McCord.
As of just before 3:00pm, Rome-Floyd County firefighters were on scene fighting the blaze.
Roads around the building in Downtown Rome are blocked Monday afternoon and police evacuated portions of Broad Street.
The cause of the fire is currently unknown and under investigation, but the courthouse was undergoing renovations at the time of the fire.
The Floyd County Courthouse was built in 1892. According to the City of Rome, Georgia’s website, the building “showcases Romanesque Revival architecture with distinctive terra cotta grotesques on its facade.” It is currently used as the Floyd County Tax Commissioner’s office.
The county said it would post updates when more information becomes available.
Video of the Floyd County Historic Courthouse fire.
Rome News-Tribune