Cleveland County Courthouse - Shelby, NC - Courthouses on Waymarking.com

The centerpiece of Shelby is the Cleveland County Courthouse, with its imposing character and park-like setting. This Neo-Classical Revival courthouse was designed by H.L. Lewman and built by Fall City Construction Company in 1907 at the cost of $75,000. It is rectangular in plan with boldly projecting end bays topped by ribbed domes and a dramatic three-stage cupola. Tetrastyle Corinthian porticoes front the center recesses, sheltering the four main entrances to the building. The building's imposing scale, ornamentation, advancing and receding planes, domes and cupola are characteristic of the Beaux-Arts period of the Neo-Classical movement. The North Carolina General Assembly created Cleveland County from parts of Rutherford and Lincoln counties in 1841. Before the first courthouse was built, court was held on the second floor of Williams Weather's home southwest of Shelby. Courthouse Square became the site of the county government once the first courthouse, a log building, was erected here in 1842. Shortly thereafter, in 1844, a committee was appointed to draft plans for a formal courthouse. This committee's plans were rejected and a new committee was formed. Finally, a contract of $6,409 was awarded to George Smith, who posted a bond of $12,938 for the "faithful performance" of constructing a red brick courthouse, completed in 1874. This courthouse was then replaced by the dramatic limestone building standing on Courthouse Square today. In front of the courthouse, facing Lafayette Street, is the Statue for the Confederate Heroes of Cleveland County dedicated on November 21, 1906. In 1974, the county court moved to the law enforcement center and in 1976 this building became home to the Cleveland County Historical Museum.

The Cleveland County Courthouse was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1979.

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Year Built: 1907 Current Use of Building: Museum Level of Courts: County Architect: H.L. Lewman Dates this building was used to house judicial proceedings: 1907 - 1974 Physical Address: 103 S Lafayette St. Shelby, NC 28150 Hours: Monday - Friday 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. Related Website: [Web Link]

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Date Logged Log User Rating   10/19/2024 dukefan86 visited it