Beaufort County Courthouse
Why it's listed
Built about 1786, the Beaufort County Courthouse in Washington, North Carolina, is a two-story brick building measuring roughly 42 by 42 feet, laid in Flemish bond on a high water table. A two-bay rear addition and a square clock tower with a four-faced clock were added later. The three-bay east facade has a divided lunette in the gable and a paneled double-door entrance. Inside, a center-passage plan on the first floor has been heavily altered, while the second-floor courtroom keeps its stepped gallery seating and a balustrade with scroll-saw balusters. The building owes its existence to the decline of Bath as a port, which led the General Assembly in 1785 to move the county courthouse to Washington, on a public lot set aside in 1776. Since completion it has served continuously as the seat of county government and is among the earliest permanent public buildings in North Carolina.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the courthouse is one of the earliest permanent public buildings in North Carolina. It was built after the county court moved from Bath to Washington in 1785-86, and it has served continuously as the seat of county government and a meeting place for prominent local figures.
Machine-generated summary. This summary was generated by a language model from the official nomination document and has not been reviewed line by line by an editor. It may contain errors. Check the source document before relying on any detail. Source: nomination document (PDF) · National Archives catalog entry. NRHP reference 71000567, listed March 31, 1971. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | Corner of W. 2nd and Market Sts., Washington |
|---|---|
| County | Beaufort County |
| Listed | March 31, 1971 |
| Reference number | 71000567 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 18th Century |
| Areas of significance | Politics/Government, Architecture |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Listed in good condition, altered, on its original site and occupied; in continuous use as the seat of Beaufort County government. |
| Acreage | 0.5 |
| Within district | Washington Historic District |
| Coordinates | 35.54323, -77.05429 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
For a publicly owned building or structure, listing mainly matters when federal funds, permits or licences are involved: projects then go through Section 106 review so effects on the property are considered. Listing also strengthens applications for preservation grants and, for leased income-producing uses, can enable the federal rehabilitation tax credit.
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.
Sources and further reading
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 71000567.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q17985793
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.