Osceola County Historic Courthouse

The old courthouse near the center of Kissimmee has seen many types of cases, from chicken thievery and illegal moonshine sales, to high profile murder cases. The Osceola County Historic Courthouse is the oldest courthouse in the state in continuous use for judicial purposes. It was also the site for public executions by hangings, supposedly from the tree that is still in front of the courthouse. 

Design plans for this courthouse were approved in 1888, and it opened its doors two years later. Built in the Romanesque Revival style, the three-story building features a prominent tower rising above its entrance, arched windows and detailed brickwork, and in 1977  it was added to the National Register of Historic Places. For a peek inside, there are virtual tours of a wood-paneled courtroom and the view from its balcony.

As this Central Florida area's population boomed, the county added a new courthouse in 2003, just southeast of the historic one. The newer, larger building houses the Circuit Court of the 9th Judicial Circuit and County Court, while the old courthouse still bustles with a variety of judicial offices.

With so much history, you may be wondering if the building is haunted. Local lore holds that sometimes the ghost of a former tax assessor who worked in the building can still be seen and heard wandering the third floor. Another supposed spirit is that of a young woman who was called to testify in a case related to a bank robbing gang. She was found dead from poisoning a year after the trial and is said to be seen walking with a lit candle seeking... justice? 

If you're in the area of the courthouse on Halloween, Valentine's Day or the Fourth of July, you may see festively dressed couples, as the historic building hosts themed group weddings, including, according to the office of the clerk, the HalloWedding Scare-A-Mony, Valentine’s Day Celebration of Love, and a Patriotic Wedding.