Camden administrative offices are located at 348 Kennedy Street, Camden, AL 36726,
Phone: 334-682-2082.
Beginnings [†]
In 1832, the first Wilcox County seat at Canton Bend was moved inland from the Alabama River to escape a series of fatal epidemics and to be nearer the center of the county. Barboursville, the new county seat, was established on twelve acres of land given by W. T. Dunn. In 1841 it was renamed Camden at the suggestion of Dr. John D. Caldwell, a pioneer from Camden, South Carolina. Camden grew rapidly, soon becoming the largest community in the county.
In the pre-Civil War years, a period of general economic prosperity for the South, the town could boast two hotels, a school, six churches, the county courthouse, and jail, as well as several offices and general merchandising stores. Of these, four former law offices, the "Law Building", and the courthouse still stand.
The Wilcox County Courthouse, the focal point of a National Register Historic District, was built in 1859 to replace the original two-story frame structure. The Court of County Commissioners, con^xjsed of L. W. Mason, J. D. Pritchett, and N. A. McMillan, signed bonds for building the new courthouse and hired Alexander J. Bragg, an architect and contractor, to construct it for a cost of $33,528. Except for the 1957 addition of north and south wings, the exterior remains unchanged. Currently, the structure is undergoing weatherization work.
† Adapted from: Sally B. Moore, Alabama Historical Commission, Wilcox County Courthouse Historic Distrit, 1978, National Park Service, nomination document, National Register of Historic Places, Washington, D.C,