Swain County | US Courthouses

Swain County is named for David Lowry Swain, who was a governor of North Carolina ad president of the University of North Carolina.

Created: 1871

County Seat:

Bryson City 1871 – present

County Courthouse – Bryson City

Location: 101 Mitchell Street / Slope Street

Built: 1980 – 1982

Style: Modern

Architect: Nichols, Carter, Seay / Grant Architects

Contractor: Wilkie Construction Company, Inc.

Description: The building faces north and is a one story brown colored brick and concrete structure. The building is located on landscaped grounds in the center of the city. The north front forms a ”V” with the entrance in the center and with glass panels above. The orange colored roof is sloped. There is a wide plaza in front of the building with wide steps on the north side.

Old County Courthouse – Bryson City

Location: 4 Everett Street / Main Street

Built: 1908 – 1909

Style: Classical Revival

Architect: Frank P Milburn of Washington, D.C. and Richard Sharp Smith

Contractor: Falls City Construction Company of Louisville, Kentucky

Description: The building faces southwest and is a two story white colored stuccoed structure. The building is located on landscaped grounds in the center of the city. The southwest front has a large portico supported by four columns rising to a wide pediment at the roof line. The sides has projecting center sections rising to a pediment at the roof line. On the center of the roof is an octagonal dome with clock and red colored roof at the top.

Note: The cost of construction of the courthouse was approximately $35,000. The commissioners authorized the purchase of “a tower clock with metal Bell for a cost of $850.00” for the new courthouse.

See: The architect Frank Pierce Milburn of Washington, DC. and the contractor Falls City Construction Company of Louisville, Kentucky.

History: The first court was held in a log cabin at Chatham. The first courthouse was built in 1872 and burned. The second courthouse was designed by D K Collins and built by Thaddius Dillard in 1880. The courthouse burned in 1908. The third courthouse was constructed in 1908 and the fourth and present courthouse was constructed in 1980 to 1982.

Courthouses:

N – Blount County, Tennesse and Sevier County, Tennessee

E – Haywood County and Jackson County

S – Macon County and Graham County

W – Graham County