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 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 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.
Note: The previous courthouse was designed by D K Collins and built by Thaddius Dillard in 1880. The courthouse burned in 1908.
Courthouses:
N – Blount County, Tennesse and Sevier County, Tennessee
E – Haywood County and Jackson County
S – Macon County and Graham County
W – Graham County
Photos taken 2012