Completed in 1876, the historic Cabarrus County Courthouse served as the county’s judicial center for 100 years. This architectural treasure is a two-and-a-half-story brick building designed by Architect G.S.H. Appleget. It is covered in stucco, blending Greek Revival, Italianate, and Second Empire styles popular at the time.

Cabarrus County has built four courthouses since its creation in 1792. The records show that the first court held for the county of Cabarrus was at the house of Robert Russell, located on the Salisbury Road, on the third Monday of January, 1793. In 1795, commissioners were appointed to build the first courthouse; it was tiny — only 30 feet square — poorly lit, poorly ventilated, and inadequately heated. It was built at the center of the square, at the intersection of Union and Corbin Streets; this structure was used for 30 years until a new courthouse was constructed in 1826. The current historic courthouse was erected in 1876 to replace one destroyed by fire in 1875.

A Confederate soldiers monument was dedicated on the grounds of the courthouse on May 5, 1892, by the Ladies’ Memorial Association of Concord. Constructed of marble, the eight sections weigh 25,000 pounds and have a sphere on top. The monument was placed in front of the courthouse, where it remains.

It’s considered one of North Carolina’s finest public buildings of the late 19th century, and its preservation by Historic Cabarrus Association in the 1970s is one of our crowning achievements. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1974.

In 1975, a new, more modern county courthouse was built, and today the Historic Cabarrus Association and the Cabarrus Arts Council share the historic courthouse as a space to celebrate the area’s history and its thriving art scene.