Posted June 30, 2023
Visitors to the Granville County Courthouse have requested for many years that the historic entrance on Main Street to be reopened for public use. This week, the Granville County Sheriff’s Office and the Clerk of Court’s Office began setting the stage for this improvement by removing the historic wagon that had been displayed in the former entry way and relocating the artifact to the Granville County Historical Society Museum. The wagon had been displayed at the Granville County Courthouse for nearly thirty years. The wagon is owned by the Granville County Historical Society, which chose to originally display it in the courthouse.
“Since taking office, I have heard from Granville residents a strong desire to utilize the historic courthouse entrance,” said Sheriff Robert Fountain. “We had several challenges to make this a reality, including needed security improvements along with opening up additional space for staff to operate and for visitors to safely enter and exit the facility. I am pleased that we were able to work with the Clerk of Court’s Office and take the first step toward revitalizing one of the historic features of this building. I would also like to thank the Granville County Historical Society for helping to safely remove the wagon and move it to its rightful place at their museum, where it can be cared for and seen by visitors from across our county.”
“Sheriff Fountain and I have discussed the importance of improving access to the courthouse while simultaneously emphasizing and appreciating this building’s history,” said J. Yancey Washington, Clerk of Superior Court. “This very spot on Main Street has provided court services for over two hundred years for Granville County, even predating this current building. We want to do everything we can to ensure that this facility is cared for and utilized for generations to come.”
The removal of this historic wagon is the first step to allow the Sheriff’s Office and Clerk of Court staff to assess other needed improvement to accessibility and security that will allow the Main Street entrance to be used in addition to the existing entrance on Williamsboro Street.
For more information about the Granville County Historical Society Museum, visit http://www.granvillemuseumnc.org/. The museum is open Tuesday through Thursday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and is located at 1 Museum Lane and 110 Court Street in Oxford.
See below for additional historical facts about the Granville County Courthouse:
- The Granville County Courthouse is one of the most historically significant buildings in Granville County and is the second courthouse built on the Main Street site.
- Construction on the current building began on July 4, 1838 and was completed in February 1840.
- It is the fifth oldest courthouse in North Carolina and the third oldest that has remained in continuous use.
- The wagon was sold by Lyon Winston Company, which was located on College Street at the current Schewel Furniture address.
- The current public courthouse entrance on Williamsboro Street was formerly a display area for a horse-driven hearse owned by the Granville County Historical Society. That hearse was removed and returned to the Historical Society to install the security station at the Williamsboro Street entrance today.