White County was established by the laws of Illinois Territory. In 1815, during a period of rapid Euro-American settlement Southern Illinois after the War of 1812, the growing territory set up a new county on the Wabash River, and selected centrally-located Carmi, on the Little Wabash River, to be the county seat. The pioneer house-sized courthouse structure in use from 1815 until 1828, the Robinson-Stewart House, survives in Carmi. A historical marker near the front door, “Carmi’s Oldest House,” marks the old building.[3]
In 1828, the citizens of White County built a new wooden courthouse, also in the center of Carmi. The 1820s framework survives, but has been entirely surrounded by and incorporated into a brick-built expansion raised in 1883−1884. Built in a stripped-down Second Empire style, this mostly brick building stands in use today. The structure's pediment carries the two dates “1828” and “1883.”[3]