|
«
Historic Buildings
 The
Carteret County Courthouse of 1796 is the oldest
existing wood frame courthouse in North Carolina. With
its award-winning restoration, the Beaufort Historical
Association was able to recreate the courthouse as a
one-room building, representative of early American
architecture and ideals with simple elegance.
Acquired in 1976 and moved to the Historic Site in 1977,
the building spent years with several rooms sectioned
off until research was initiated to establish the
courthouse’s original appearance. Eventually, it was
determined that to maintain the authenticity of the
building, a major restoration would be required. After
two years of effort, the building now looks much like it
did over 200 years ago.
The Carteret County Courthouse of 1796 was the third
courth ouse
built in Beaufort as the first courthouse was burned,
and the second destroyed in a hurricane. This building,
originally located at the intersection of Ann and Turner
Streets, was the setting of the Court of Pleas and
Quarter Sessions for the county and was in use for 40
years.
The term “Court of Pleas and Quarter Sessions” refers to
common law practices “pleas” as well as criminal
proceedings for misdemeanors and lesser felonies
“sessions”; the court met four times a year “quarterly”.
Unlike courtrooms of today where one judge presides, at
least three local justices of the peace had to be
present to conduct court. These justices were appointed
by the governor, usually do to their high standing
within the community as wealthy prominent men.
Now, the Beaufort Historical Association uses the
Carteret County Courthouse to provide the setting for an
interactive
dramatization program with North Carolina 8th grade
students in mind. This program gets students involved
with a skit that allows each one to take on the role of
one of the characters in a historic court case. The
students who deliberate and render a verdict also
portray all Justices, defendants, jury members and
bystanders.
Leffers Cottage, c1778
|
Carteret County Courthouse, c1796 | John
C. Manson House, c1825 |
Josiah Bell House, c1825
|
The Old Jail, c1829 |
The Apothecary Shop
and Doctor’s Office, c1859
|
