Chowan County is named for the Chowan Native American tribe.
Surrounding County Courthouses:
N – Gates County
W – Bertie County and Hertford County
Created: 1670 
County Seat:
Queen Anne’s Town 1670 – 1727
Edenton 1727 – present
County Courthouse – Edenton
Location: 101 South Broad Street / East Church Street
Built: 1979 – 1980
Style: Modern Georgian
Architect: J Everett Fauber. Jr.
Contractor: Barnhill Contracting Company of Tarboro
Description: The building faces south and is a two story red colored brick and concrete structure. The building is located on spacious landscaped grounds in the center of Edenton. The building is “T” shaped with an east wing and the west front has a portico with four columns rising to a pediment. There are lower north and south wings. The roof is hipped. The building houses the County Superior Court and County District Court of the 1st Judicial District.
Old County Courthouse – Edenton
Location: 117 East King Street / Court Street
Built: 1767
Style: Georgian
Architect: Gilbert Leigh / John Hawkes
Contractor: John Hawkes, Joseph Hewes and Jacob Blount
Description: The building faces south and is a two story red colored brick structure. The building is located on landscaped grounds of the Town Green in the center of Edenton to the south of the courthouse. The building is “T” shaped with a north wing and the south front has a central white colored framed entrance with small pediment. At the roof is a large gable. On the center of the hipped roof is a white colored square base with clock and octagonal cupolas above. In the interior, the large courtroom is located on the first story. The building was renovated in 2004.
Note: The courthouse is the oldest courthouse in North Carolina still used as a courthouse. The second oldest courthouse is located in Perquimans County.
See: National Register of Historic Places – Chowan County Courthouse
See: The 1st Judicial District includes Camden County, Currituck County, Dare County, Gates County, Pasquotank County and Perquimans County.
History: The county was created in 1670 and Queen Anne’s Town was selected as the county seat. The court met in private homes. The first courthouse was erected in Edenton in 1718 and the second courthouse was erected in 1724. In 1727 the name of the county seat was changed to Edenton. The third courthouse was constructed in 1767 and is still standing. The fourth and present courthouse was constructed in 1979 to 1980.
County Courthouse – Edenton
Commission Minutes 1978
Old County Courthouse – Edenton
Photos taken 2012