Ashe County is named for Samuel Ashe, who was a Revolutionary patriot, superior court judge and governor of North Carolina.
Surrounding County Courthouses:
N – Grayson County, Virginia
E – Alleghany County and Wilkes County
S – Wilkes County and Watauga County
W – Johnson County, Tennessee
Created: November 18, 1799 
County Seat:
Jefferson 1799 – present
Old County Courthouse – Jefferson
Location: 301 East Main Street / Ashe Street
Built: 1904 – 1905
Style: Beaux Arts and Classical Revival
Architect: Wheeler & Runge of Charlotte
Contractor: L W Cooper of Charlotte
Description: The building faces south and is a three story red colored brick and concrete structure. The building is located on spacious landscape grounds in the center of Jefferson. The south front has a high portico with four white colored columns rising to a pediment. The third story is recessed and at the top is a section with three round windows and a red colored roof. The roof is hipped. The former courtroom is located on the second story.
See: The courthouse is very similar in appearance to the old courthouses in Avery County, Iredell County, Randolph County, Stokes County and Wilkes County.
See: The architect, Wheeler & Runge of Charlotte, designed courthouses in Avery County, Caldwell County, Randolph County, Stokes County and Wilkes County.
See: The contractor, L W Cooper of Charlotte, constructed courthouses in Stokes County and Wilkes County.
County Courthouse – Jefferson
Location: 150 Government Circle / East Main Street
Built: 1998 – 2000
Style: Modern Colonial Revival
Architect: Hayes, Seay, Mattern & Mattern and Bill Mahler
Contractor: James R Vannoy & Sons Construction.
Description: The building faces north and is a three story red colored brick and concrete structure. The building is located on landscaped grounds to the southeast of the center of Jefferson. The north front projects from the main building and has a large portico with four columns rising to a pediment at the roof line. The green colored roof is sloped. The building houses the County Superior Court and County District Court of the 23rd Judicial District.
See: The 23rd Judicial District includes Alleghany County, Wilkes County and Yadkin County.
History: The county was created in 1799 and Jefferson was designated as the county seat. The first courthouse was built in Jefferson in 1800 when Jefferson became the county seat. The second courthouse was a brick structure built in 1833. The courthouse was destroyed by fire and in 1865 the third courthouse was a rebuilding of the destroyed courthouse. The fourth courthouse was constructed in 1904 to 1905 and is still standing. The fourth and present courthouse was constructed in 1998 to 2000.
Old County Courthouse – Jefferson
County Courthouse – Jefferson
Photos taken 2012