Whiteville in Columbus County, North Carolina — The American South (South Atlantic)
Columbus County Courthouse
Photographed by Mark Parker, March 24, 2025
1. Columbus County Courthouse Marker
1915
Reuben Brown House Preservation Society Columbus County Historic Landmark No. 2
Erected by Reuben Brown House Preservation Society.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Government & Politics. A significant historical year for this entry is 1915.
Location. 34° 20.314′ N, 78° 42.219′ W. Marker is in Whiteville, North Carolina, in Columbus County. It is at the intersection of Courthouse Circle (Business U.S. 74/76) and North Madison Street (Business U.S. 701), in the median on Courthouse Circle. The marker is to the left of the main entrance of the courthouse, located on the south side of the building. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 100 Courthouse Cir, Whiteville NC 28472, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Regionally, this marker is in North Carolina’s Coastal Plain. It is also in the American South and specifically in the Upper South. Globally, it is in North America, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds itself in what was once the territory of the Mississippian Culture, one of the original Thirteen Colonies, one of the Confederate States of America, and the Antebellum South.
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Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 15 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies: Bank of Whiteville (within shouting distance of this marker); In Honor of Brave Columbus County Men (within shouting distance of this marker); Millie-Christine McKoy (approx. 2.6 miles away); Whistlers Mother (approx. 11.3 miles away); Old Brown Marsh Presbyterian Church (approx. 11.4 miles away); a different marker also named Old Brown Marsh Presbyterian Church (approx. 13½ miles away); Bladen County Veterans Memorial (approx. 14.4 miles away); Vampire Beast (approx. 14.7 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Whiteville.
More about this marker. Columbus County Courthouse is on the National Register of Historic Places, and is also a contributing building to the North Carolina Courthouses Thematics Group on the National Registry.
Regarding Columbus County Courthouse. Excerpts from the Columbus County Courthouse Nomination Form:
Columbus County was formed from Bladen in 1808, and its firat courthouse was constructed of wood in Whiteville in 1809. A brick structure replaced that building in 1852. In 1913 the county commissioners ordered that J. F. Leitner be employed as an architect "to prepare and submit plans for
Photographed by Mark Parker, March 24, 2025
2. South side of the Columbus County Courthouse. Marker is between the two columns on the left
Although the commissioners accepted Leitner's plans, they were forced to insist on modifications because of a shortage of funds. They ordered, for example, that a proposed dome be eliminated and that "there be used Terre Cotta trimming instead of iron in the proposed Court House," which was not to be fireproof except for its vaults. In April, 1914, the commissioners forced Leitner to modify his plans even further to meet a "cost not exceeding $50,000." The original cost of the courthouse had been set at $100,000. The building was completed 1914-1915.
Also see . . .
1. Columbus County Courthouse Nomination Form (pdf). (Submitted on April 18, 2025, by Mark Parker of Hickory, North Carolina.)
2. Historic Plaques. Listing of Whiteville historical landmarks by the Reuben Brown House Preservation Society.<blockquote>The Columbus County Courthouse was built by William Preston Rose between 1914 and 1915 and was designed by well-known architect Joseph F. Leitner of Wilmington.The two-story red brick building with concrete detail and a pedimented, column-lined portico is built
Photographed by Mark Parker, March 24, 2025
3. North side of the Columbus County Courthouse
The courthouse is located on property surrounded by a traffic circle that was donated by Whitevilles namesake, State Senator James B. White. The building was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1979 and is considered the iconic building in Columbus County. (Submitted on April 18, 2025, by Mark Parker of Hickory, North Carolina.)
Credits. This page was last revised on April 20, 2025. It was originally submitted on April 18, 2025, by Mark Parker of Hickory, North Carolina. This page has been viewed 173 times since then and 43 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on April 18, 2025, by Mark Parker of Hickory, North Carolina. • Andrew Ruppenstein was the editor who published this page.
