Cleveland County is named for Benjamin Cleveland, who was a colonel in the American Revolutionary War, who took part in the Battle of Kings Mountain and who lived from 1738 to 1806.
Surrounding County Courthouses:
N – Burke County
E – Lincoln County and Gaston County
S – York County, South Carolina and Cherokee County, South Carolina
Created: January 11, 1841 
County Seat:
Shelby 1841 – present
Old County Courthouse – Shelby
Location: 103 South Lafayette Street / East Marion Street
Built: 1906 – 1907
Style: Neo-Classical Revival
Architect: H L Lewman of Louisville, Kentucky
Contractor: Falls City Construction Company of Louisville, Kentucky
Description: The building faces west and is a two story light colored stone and concrete structure. The rectangular shaped building is located on the landscaped grounds of the Courthouse Square in the center of Shelby to the northwest of the courthouse. The building has a large portico on each side supported by four large white colored columns rising to a pediment at the roof line. There is a square tower at each corner with silver colored domes and balustrade. On the center of the roof is an octagonal white colored dome with clock and silver colored roof. The building is now a Historical Museum.
See: The contractor Falls City Construction Company of Louisville, Kentucky.
See: National Register of Historic Places – Cleveland County Courthouse
County Courthouse – Shelby
Location: 100 Justice Place / East Warren Street
Built: 1970 – 1972
Style: Modern
Architect: Vaughan – Talley & Associates
Contractor: H L Goble Construction Company
Description: The building faces west and is a one story buff colored brick and concrete structure. The building is located on landscaped grounds in the center of Shelby. The main entrance has a small portico supported by two columns and a recessed glass doorway. The building rises into a peaked roof on either side of the entrance. Behind the entrance is a flat copper dome. The red colored tile roof extends to the north and south over the extended wings. The building houses the County Superior Court and County District Court of the 27th Judicial District. The building was remodeled in 1992. The architect was Martin Boal Anthony & Johnson and the contractor was Beam Construction Company.
See: The 27th Judicial District includes Lincoln County and Gaston County.
History: The county was created in 1841 and Shelby was selected as the county seat. The first court met at the home of William Weathers southwest of Shelby. The first courthouse was a log structure erected on the Courthouse Square in Shelby in 1842. The second courthouse was a red colored brick structure built by George Smith in 1874 at a cost of $6,409. The third courthouse was constructed at a cost of $75,000 in 1906 to 1907 and is still standing. The fourth and present courthouse was constructed in 1970 to 1972.
County Administration Building – Shelby
Location: 311 East Marion Street / Justice Place
Built: 1992 – 1993
Style: Modern
Architect: Holland & Hamrick
Contractor: A A Ramsey & Son, Inc.
Description: The building faces south and is a two story reddish colored brick and concrete structure. The building is located in the center of Shelby. The building has three large arches in the center section.
Old County Courthouse – Shelby
County Courthouse – Shelby
County Administration Building – Shelby
Photos taken 2012