Lafayette Hall and Lafayette Cedar

Lafayette Hall and Lafayette Cedar. . , From c1824 until 1904, a two story wooden residence known as Lafayette Hall stood on this site. Owned by Congressman John Carter, the home was new when the Marquis de Lafayette attended ceremonies here during his 1825 visit to Camden. To commemorate Lafayette's visit, a double row of cedar trees were planted in honor of this revered hero of the American Revolution. Forever after known as Lafayette Hall, the old home became a hotel in 1902 and burned in 1904. Kershaw County later purchased the lot to become the site of a new courthouse., This area's first courthouse, erected c1771, stood at the corner of Broad and King Streets. This wooden structure burned during the American Revolution. By 1793, a second frame courthouse was in use on the same lot. In 1826, the county replaced that wooden building for a fireproof courthouse designed by renowned architect, Robert Mills (Historical Marker #8). , Built in 1906, the fourth courthouse, the first on this site, was a two story red brick and stone building with a two story courtroom surrounded by county offices on both floors. By the 1960s, the county considered the structure too small and inefficient to serve the rapidly growing population. Kershaw County razed the building in 1966 to make way for the current courthouse., This building, the fifth courthouse to serve the people of Kershaw County, opened in 1968.