Person County Courthouse
Why it's listed
Standing in the town square of Roxboro, this four-story tan brick courthouse was designed in 1930 by Greensboro architect Charles C. Hartman and built by contractor George W. Kane. It is the fourth courthouse for Person County, following log, frame and earlier brick buildings dating from 1793, 1810 and 1873. The fireproof structure uses brick tile and reinforced concrete. Its facade is divided into three levels, with a rusticated first floor, a belt course of octagonal panels, paired pilasters with stylized Corinthian capitals, and an attic crest of shell antefixes. Inside, cross halls divide the first floor, which has mosaic tile flooring and tan ceramic brick walls. The second-floor courtroom shows art deco character in its herringbone ceiling. The courthouse was recognized for blending mature Neo-Classical Revival forms with early modernistic design, which the nomination describes as unusual among North Carolina county courthouses, and for being the work of Hartman.
Significance in brief: The courthouse is argued to be a unique example in North Carolina county courthouses of mature Neo-Classical Revival style combined with early modernistic design. It is also the work of Greensboro architect Charles C. Hartman, who designed many of that city's twentieth-century landmarks. Its scale and central location reflect the importance of its function.
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 79001744, listed May 10, 1979. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | Main St. between Aggitt and Court Sts., Roxboro |
|---|---|
| County | Person County |
| Listed | May 10, 1979 |
| Reference number | 79001744 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architect / builder | Charles C. Hartman (architect); George W. Kane (contractor) |
| Architectural style | Neo-Classical Revival combined with early modernistic (art deco) design |
| Areas of significance | Politics/Government, Architecture, Social History |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Still serves as the Person County Courthouse; the form notes that the tall windows of the main facade and side elevations have been filled in. |
| Acreage | 1 |
| Within district | Roxboro Commercial Historic District |
| Coordinates | 36.39425, -78.98322 (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 79001744.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q20679819
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.