Jackson County is named for Andrew Jackson, who was the 7th President of the United States from 1829 to 1837.
Surrounding County Courthouses:
N – Swain County and Haywood County
E – Haywood County and Transylvania County
S – Oconee County, South Carolina and Raubun County, Georgia
W – Macon County and Swain County
Created: January 29, 1851 
County Seat:
Webster 1851 – 1913
Sylva 1913 – present
Old County Courthouse – Sylva
Location: 310 Keener Street / Ridgeway Street
Built: 1913 – 1914
Style: Beaux Arts
Architect: Rich S Smith & Albert H Carrier of Asheville
Contractor: C J Harris
Description: The building faces east and is a two story white colored brick and concrete structure. The building is located on the landscaped grounds on a mountain side overlooking the downtown of Sylva. Steep flights of steps lead up the well-planted sloping lawn from a circular fountain and civil war monument to the heroic portico. The east front has a large portico with four Corinthian columns rising to a pediment at the roof line. A modillion cornice carries around the building and outlines the pediment. The second story has a balcony. On the center of the roof is a three-stage octagonal cupola with a statue of Blind Justice at the top. The lower stage of the cupola is screened with reticulated classical grilles set between widely spaced columns. A large clock fills the front face, and a ribbed dome caps the structure. The interior has been totally renovated; however, the basic cross hall floor plan and part of the original wooden stair remain. The building is now the public library.
Note: The courthouse was patterned after the courthouse in Madison County, both designed by Rich S Smith & Albert H Carrier of Asheville. The courthouse had been previously renovated in 1950 with the mezzanine third story was painted white and four windows were added to the front and back of the third floor. The building was renovated again in 1969, when the red bricks were painted white, a clock added to the dome, the pine trees along the steps that hid the building from the street and lined the steps were also removed. In 2007, the Courthouse site was selected for the location of the new Jackson County Public Library. The old Jail from 1963 was demolished at this time, and the original jail from 1914 was demolished in 2009, when the new library started being constructed,
See: National Register of Historic Places – North Carolina Courthouses
County Justice and Administration Center – Sylva
Location: 401 Grindstaff Cove Road / Jackson Plaza Road
Built: 1994 – 1995
Style: Modern
Architect: Foy, Lee, Moody & Associates
Contractor: L P Cox Construction of Sanford Inc.
Description: The building faces northeast and is a two story buff-brown colored brick and concrete structure. The rectangular shaped building is located on landscaped grounds to the northeast of the old courthouse. On the northeast and southwest sides have entrances flanked by stone pillars. A narrow horizontal white colored horizontal band runs along the top of the first story. The second story windows are vertical and narrow. The hipped roof has small dormers. The building houses the Superior Court and District Court of the 30th Judicial District. On the east side is the County Jail.
History: The county was created in 1851 and Webster was selected as the county seat. The first court met at the home of Daniel Bryson, Sr. and then at Allen Fisher’s store. The first courthouse was a two story structure built in Webster in 1855 and demolished later in 1935. In 1913, the county seat was moved from Webster to Sylva. The second and present courthouse was constructed in 1913 to 1914 at a cost of $30,000. The County Justice Center was constructed in 1994 to 1995.
Old County Courthouse – Sylva
County Justice and Administration Center – Sylva
Photos taken 2012