This 1767 structure is the oldest North Carolina courthouse in continuous use. A National Historic Landmark, it is considered the best surviving example of public Georgian architecture in the state. It is believed that John Hawks, who designed Tryon Palace at New Bern, served as consultant to the courthouse construction. A ball honoring President James Monroe was held in the upstairs courtroom. The Prince of Wales was entertained here. As said by Charles Heatherly in The Courthouses of North Carolina: "We are indebted to Virginia aristocrat William Byrd for this elegant building that has survived two centuries. Byrd, who did not have a high opinion of his North Carolina neighbors and was never reluctant to express himself, took one look at the old 1718 wood courthouse, which cost 187 pounds, and said, '[i]t has the appearance of a common tobacco barn.' Shamed by Byrd's acerbic tongue, the people of Edenton responded."
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