Courthouses

The caption of the photo of the Weathers home states that “Court was held in an existing building in Shelby briefly until the courthouse (below) was erected in 1845.” The location of that first–albeit temporary– courthouse in Shelby is unknown, although speculation favors two ideas. It was torn down–was it torn down because it sat on the future site of the court square and was in the way? Another hypothesis is that it may have been across Marion Street on the north side of the current court square and in the way of another construction project. Or perhaps city leaders were looking toward the future and the old structure just looked out of place. This is one of the many details of Cleveland County’s past that is lost to history.

In 1845, Cleveland County’s second courthouse was built. The new brick structure was built by George Smith and John Dameron in the Greek Revival style. It served the county until 1907.

In 1907, Cleveland County Commissioners declared the courthouse to be “utterly insufficient.” Soon construction began on Cleveland County’s third courthouse. The county selected architect Harry L. Lewman and hired Falls Construction Company to build a new courthouse in the Classical Revival style. It was finished in 1908. It served the county for 66 years.

In 1974, the county’s fourth courthouse was built at 100 Justice Place. County offices began moving into the new building in January of 1975. The 1907 courthouse became home to the Cleveland County Historical Museum. In 2014, it became home to the Earl Scruggs Center.

Some time after the 1974 courthouse was built, it was remodeled and a copper cupola was added.

Currently, the county’s fifth courthouse is under construction just behind it. It is scheduled to open in 2027. The old building is to be demolished to make way for a parking lot.